Book 1 in the Old Filth Trilogy
Sir Edward Feathers, a retired British judge living in Dorset who reflects on his colourful and painful past after his wife Betty dies. His nickname is Old Filth, Filth is an acronym that stands for Failed in London, Try Hong Kong. Edward Feathers earned this moniker because he built a massively successful legal career in Southeast Asia after starting out in Britain.
Edward was born in British Malaya: his mother died shortly after birth, and his emotionally detached father rejected him. He was raised by local Malays before being sent away to brutal foster care in Wales.
The novel does not move in a straight line. Instead, Feathers jumps backward and forward through his life based on the emotional weight of his memories—covering school, war, the Bar, and his marriage.
Following the death of his beloved wife Betty, his carefully controlled “stiff upper lip” life unravels, forcing him to confront deep-seated childhood traumas and a long-standing professional rivalry with Terry Veneering.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started reading this book – I chose it for the ShelfReflection challenge’s prompt for a character with a unique nickname. I do know I wasn’t expecting this book. I loved it! It was so much more than what I signed up for.
Read for the ShelfReflection Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 23: A book with a character with a unique nickname
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
