Dead Man's Rule

I've read a lot of thrillers, and this one was truly excellent. It's a nice blend of Grisham and early Clancy--a legal thriller with bullets. The courtroom scenes are compelling without getting into tedious legal detail, and the fight scenes have plenty of zip. As a novelist myself, I had to admire Acker's use of the written word. He really does a terrific job of creating a strong storyworld (the Chicago legal scene and Russian mafiya) with solid characters (loved the Russian ex-FBI agent) and a plot that moves. I don't often read a book a second time, but I'm rereading this one. I give this book an A+, which is rare in my grade-book.

I got hooked on this book right from the beginning and finished it in just a few days. The characters are interesting, real people, and the plot alternates between a couple of well-written story lines that kept my attention throughout the book. You won't be disappointed!

This is a great story. It will be particularly enjoyable for lawyers for its faithfulness to the actual practice of law and for its depiction of the frustration and thrill some clients can provide. It would make a great movie, particularly with its timely topic. A great vacation book.

An effective combination of John Grisham and Tom Clancy make this a compelling read. Well developed characters and a believable modern plot involving legal drama and bio terrorism keep you needing to know what will happen next and to whom. There is an underlying religious message to this story that will appeal to some readers more than others, but definitely doesn't get in the way if you just want an exciting read. Suspenseful throughout, this book is very difficult to put down.

Up-and-coming lawyer Ben Corbin battles a prominent Chicago litigator in a seemingly simple case over the ownership of a safe deposit box. After the person who sold the contents of the box to Corbin's client turns up dead, the case takes a new twist as "Dead Man's Rule" comes into play. I found the book extremely suspenseful and hard to put down. There is action and adventure, and the story is an excellent read for anyone who likes a nail-biting legal thriller. The book also makes a person think about the possibilities of biological weapons programs. As the author states, "Not nearly enough of this book is fiction." At the signing ceremony for the Project BioShield Act, President Bush acknowledged the catastrophic danger posed by biological weapons in the hands of terrorists. He called it "the greatest threat of our time."