Blood Brothers

Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (2/09) From the very first page, the author Rick Acker has you realizing this is a book you can't put down, even if you wanted to. His main characters, brothers Karl and Gunnar, are at each other's throats over a pharmaceutical company they both developed. Karl, now the director, is trying to get his brother to give him the remaining information on a new drug they are developing. Little known to him, Ben Corbin, a lawyer, has taken on Gunnar's case and finds himself and his wife in grave danger. He is absolutely stunned at the tricks Karl's lawyer takes and the deliberate attempts Karl has taken to get rid of his brother. Readers will come away with a love-hate relationship with the brothers and will remain shocked that one would go to such lengths to get what they wanted. The author, who is a lawyer, easily describes what goes on in a courtroom including legalities so that readers can completely understand the process. "Blood Brothers" by Rick Acker certainly is a fast-paced novel and one that will keep you in suspense the whole time. The ending of the story will surprise everyone!

I loved this book. It made a wonderful two week stay at Lake Tahoe even more fun because I could enjoy this book too, just the kind of book I love best. We get to see Big Pharma at work, the huge problems with FDA drug reviews, corporate false accounting, biotech advances that also threaten, and some great litigation scenes, all in one book. The plot is enhanced with lore and myth from Norway. Through it all, and what I think I loved best, you have characters who understand what love and family are, and who choose those values in extremely difficult circumstances, and when most people would falter. Great book.

Ben Corbin is enjoying being semi-retired, then he takes on a high-profile case and ends up stuck in the middle between brothers Karl and Gunnar Bjornsen. Both men are fighting for control of the pharmaceutical empire they built. Gunnar has discovered a billion dollar formula for a new drug called Neurostim, which increases strength and intelligence. Karl has Gunnar removed as president of the company and tries to force him to reveal the formula. Ben digs into the case, discovering charges of embezzlement, corrupt accounting, and even murder, and the drug has some terrifying side effects that are just beginning to show up. Blood Brothers is a suspenseful story of greed and hatred between two brothers who once loved each other. It is also a powerful story of love and forgiveness, of faith in God, and a determination to do what is right. Great conflict, and loaded with tension. Keeps the reader hooked until the last page.

Blood Brothers by Rick Acker is the second book in the Dead Man's Rule series, but you don't need to have read the first one to enjoy this rip-roaring thriller. Mix John Grisham's legal suspense with Michael Crichton's supernatural twists and you have Blood Brothers. Gunnar and Karl Bjornson, owners of a pharmaceutical company, have discovered a "wonder" drug that makes the reflexes faster and the brain smarter. But Karl's coup tosses Gunnar out of the company, and to add insult to injury, then sues him to force him to reveal the secret of creating the drug. Ben Corbin is hired as Gunnar's attorney not only to protect the secret, but to upset Karl's overthrow. But tendrils of suspicion about this drug are starting to surface: research animals are tearing each other apart, human subjects start to snap, and there's a connection to the berserkers of Norwegian folklore. Wow, that's a lot of plot! But Acker takes all of the different elements and makes them work with style. His disparate tales of lab workers, lawyers, and accountants build a terrific foundation for this fast-paced novel. The story is solid, definitely enjoyable, and the denoument adds extra depth showing the true meaning of faith, love, and family. Kudos to Acker!

Review: Reading this fast legal suspense story, "Blood Brothers" was like being buckled into an intense thrill ride. You know the kind. The extremely amazing roller coaster ride with all its surprises, twists, turns, ups and downs. I just couldn't put this book down. I kept reminding myself "This is just Fiction" (breathe)! What was so unnerving to me was the story line about the pharmaceutical companies and how they rule the world! (or would like to). It was fascinating and scary all at the same time when Rick Acker describes the internal workings of a large pharmaceutical company and how they interact with the FDA. All the court room drama in the story was just as powerful. It reminded me of the TV show Law and Order "Criminal Intent" on steroids, very vivid and deep. Two brothers start a pharmaceutical company so both could use their talents and work together to build something they could be proud of. The company becomes more successful than either of them could imagine. The struggle for power and control of the money begins when they both think they have discovered the wonder drug of the century. The results of the animal testing is almost done, what do they have to show and tell the FDA to start human testing? The Bjornsen brothers start to see the billions that could be made if this drug was FDA approved. I'll leave you with a quote from Blood Brothers "Love does call, you know. He calls us to do what we cannot do alone. He asks us to give without counting the cost, to walk through the furnace, to love the unlovable. He asks everything of us, and He has the right to expect it...Because He gave everything for us!" Rick Acker unveils an example of this thru the story that will knock your socks off. This is one riveting story you won't soon forget. Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent www.psalm516.blogspot.com