An multigenerational army man shoots and kills the husband of a very close family friend, who also happens to be his superior officer in Iraq. Captain Paul Terry sacrifices his private sector opportunity to defend him, and is drawn into a very twisted tale. Good trial segments. ( )

This was a so -so story. Parts were great and engrossing, particularly the sensitive treatment of PTSD and the tragedies faced by our troops in Iraq. On the negative side, some heavy-handed repeated mentions of Catholicism (not sure how this fit in). It does have a good 'surprise' ending. ( )

Excellent listen - good plot, more complicated than you initially think plot, and a reasonably unhappy ending. Probably a better story to listen to than to read.
Every character has his/her faults - no hero and few "real" villains. ( )

Brian McCarran, an Iraq War veteran, is charged with the shooting death of Jack D'Abruzzo, the husband of Kate Gallagher, a family friend who is like a sister to him. Brian comes from a long line of military men, including his grandfather and great grandfather who died in battle and his father, now a general, who survived Vietnam and the Korean War. Jack and Brian trained for the military together and both went to Iraq as officers, but Jack had higher rank and Brian reported directly to Jack.

The book centers on the investigation and court martial of Brian McCarran and explores Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and the treatment of Iraq War vets when they return home. Patterson shows that the military has not done enough to help these young vets process the violence they have experienced and adjust to normal life. He examines whether or not sufferers recognize their symptoms, feel comfortable asking for help for mental anguish and if it would affect their military careers to admit they need mental help.

The part of the story dealing with the war and its effects on the soldiers was interesting and should have been the main focus of the novel. However, the family story that the war theme was wrapped in was convoluted and I really didn't care. The characters behaved strangely and were generally flat. Even the main character, the lawyer who defends McCarran was pretty boring to me. He was on his moral high horse at the end of the novel, but he started having sex with the defendant's sister, who was also his co-counsel, within a few days of meeting her. How moral can you be if you can't even wait until the trial is over to sleep with your client's sister, especially when you're working with her?

There were a few leaps in logic and the dialogue was pretty stilted. Patterson had to work really hard to make some people right and innocent and some people wrong. The only reason I finished this book is because I generally like the author and was giving him the benefit of the doubt. This is definitely my least favorite of the Richard North Patterson books I've read so far. ( )

A much belated review for my very first win through LTER. And by one of my favorite writers, no less. What a major coup! No great surprise - I loved this book - as I have every other one I've read so far by this excellent writer. I greatly enjoyed a closer look inside a military family, its hierarchy and legal system. The battle scenes filled my with awe and renewed respect for out servicemen and firmly pushed my patriotic button. The personal/love relationships that unfolded throughout are passionate and evoke compassion. The climax was a surprise to me, although my man read it and said he could see it early in the story. A thoroughly engrossing read and highly recommended. ( )