Genre: Legal Thriller
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Every now and again I review a book that was written years ago to introduce an established author I am reviewing on Madderly for the first time. I discovered Joseph Finder many years ago and never get tired of his style of writing. His latest book will be published and reviewed here in June, so I went back and re-read one of my favorite of his books. I believe High Crimes was first published in the late nineties, with the latest reprint in 2011. It was made into a movie in 2002, but the book was so much better that I would just stick with reading this one.
Claire Chapman's second husband, Tom, is living a perfect life with her. He is a money manager, and she is a successful lawyer when it all comes tumbling down. A routine investigation reveals that before he married her, Tom was a secret service operative for the U.S. Government. In fact, he had a different name and a past that matches nothing that Claire once believed. He is her husband though, and she struggles to believe him when he swears he did not take part in a massacre of 87 civilians in San Salvador 13 years before.
Claire decides to defend her husband in a military court for his alleged horrific crimes. Unfamiliar with the workings of a military trial, Claire works diligently to collect evidence she can use to clear her husband of his charges. This is a novel, of course, and Claire is a
Harvard professor and top attorney, so the reader can expect her to have her share of "on top" moments in a case she seems destined to lose. Her cross examinations are often spot on, and having a glance into the workings of military justice is a bonus for the reader.
Finder does a great job bringing his characters to life, and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout this complicated story. Anyone who is a fan of legal thrillers will be captured by this well written book that is difficult to put down.
- Beverly
Publisher - St. Martin's Paperbacks; Reissue edition
Date of Publication - March 1, 2011
Claire Chapman's second husband, Tom, is living a perfect life with her. He is a money manager, and she is a successful lawyer when it all comes tumbling down. A routine investigation reveals that before he married her, Tom was a secret service operative for the U.S. Government. In fact, he had a different name and a past that matches nothing that Claire once believed. He is her husband though, and she struggles to believe him when he swears he did not take part in a massacre of 87 civilians in San Salvador 13 years before.
Claire decides to defend her husband in a military court for his alleged horrific crimes. Unfamiliar with the workings of a military trial, Claire works diligently to collect evidence she can use to clear her husband of his charges. This is a novel, of course, and Claire is a
Harvard professor and top attorney, so the reader can expect her to have her share of "on top" moments in a case she seems destined to lose. Her cross examinations are often spot on, and having a glance into the workings of military justice is a bonus for the reader.
Finder does a great job bringing his characters to life, and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout this complicated story. Anyone who is a fan of legal thrillers will be captured by this well written book that is difficult to put down.
- Beverly
Publisher - St. Martin's Paperbacks; Reissue edition
Date of Publication - March 1, 2011
