Act of God [Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Susan R. Sloan (Author), Pamela Nyberg (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002

A bomb destroys a medical centre in Seattle, killing over a hundred staff and patients. While no-one claims responsibility, the centre has been the target of anti-abortionists and the authorities are sure that pro-life campaigners are behind the attack, a view that is swiftly reinforced when various pieces of evidence lead them to arrest Lieutenant Corey Hamlin, whose wife aborted his child when he was away at sea. Dana McAuliffe is asked to defend Hamlin, a task she instinctively wants to decline, but when she meets the accused man she quickly discerns that the case against him is far from water-tight and that he is in all probablity innocent. As the trial draws closer she also realises that both she and her client are being manipulated by political forces with scant regard for justice: they are wanting the trial to be on the abortion issue itself and are quite prepared to drag in her own life and secrets to get the result they want. With her personal and professional life on the line, as well as trying to keep an innocent man from the electric chair, Dana has to find the real perpetrator of the bombing outrage if they are to have any chance of survival. Visit the author's website on www.sloanbooks.com

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This explosive new novel by the author of An Isolated Incident takes aim at both sides of the abortion debate as it follows the trial of an all-American suspect in an abortion clinic bombing. Seattle defense lawyer Dana McAuliffe is horrified when the Seattle Family Services Center, known as Hill House, is destroyed in a mid-morning bomb blast that kills and maims hundreds. Dubbed an abortion clinic by the media, but primarily a maternity ward, day-care center and domestic counseling and homeless support unit, Hill House becomes the focus of abortion rights and pro-life extremists who try to skew the trial's outcome to further their causes. Dana's shock turns to chagrin when the senior partner at her firm assigns her to defend bombing suspect Corey Latham, a submarine lieutenant whose wife aborted at Hill House. Arrested by the DA and demonized by the media, Corey is assumed guilty by Dana's colleagues, the surviving victims, extremists on both sides and at first even by Dana herself. Meanwhile Dana's personal life collapses as she becomes immersed in the trial and a tabloid reporter pulls a damning secret from her best friend. Rainy Seattle and a murderous political climate lend the perfect backdrop to Sloan's nail-biting plot turns, which make up for her sometimes predictable characterizations. Though Sloan impugns radicals on both sides of the debate, she also suggests that the power of the abortion rights adversaries is as menacing as the bomb itself. The provocative final twists may ruffle feathers. Major ad/promo. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

When the Seattle Family Services Center, a highly controversial abortion clinic, crumbles from the explosion of a handmade bomb, nearly 200 innocent men, women, and children are killed. Local police, under pressure to identify the terrorist, arrest Corey Dean Latham, a young naval officer. Attorney Dana McAuliffe, assigned to defend him, is challenged by public demonstrations, gatherings of the victims' families, and the constant presence of the media in both the public and the private lives of everyone possibly associated with the happenings. Yet she builds a defense for the man who's been convicted in the court of public opinion. Readers gain a sense of immediacy as Sloan (Guilt by Association) sensitively details the pre-courtroom stress and the trial's impact upon the accused, his family, and the lawyer. Comparable in its language and development of suspense to the works of John Lescroart and John Grisham, this is highly recommended for public libraries. Jetta Carol Culpepper, Murray State Univ. Libs., KY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Chivers Sound Library; Unabridged edition (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792797531
• ISBN-13: 978-0792797531
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent...A MUST read!, April 1, 2002

By 

Nick G - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act of God (Hardcover)

The Seattle Family Service Center is a landmark. The Center's health facilities have catered to a wide range of city people; from feeding the homeless, providing day-care services for working parents, to providing complete gynecological services including abortions, that's why it comes as a great shock when, on a chilly afternoon, a bomb goes off killing hundreds of men, women, and children. The city is stunned, and the mayor wants answers. After a few weeks of investigating, the police come up with their first (and only) suspect, young Navy officer Corey Latham.

Attorney Dana McAuliffe is a partner in a very prestigious law firm, and was a patient of the Center for many years so imagine her surprise when her senior partners approach her and ask if she will take on the defense of Corey Latham. Outraged, Dana wants to turn down the case, but after meeting Corey she has her doubts about his guilt. It seems the police have rushed to judgment with Corey for one reason only...his wife had an abortion without his knowledge, and after she told him about it he became very angry. Dana does not believe this information proves her client's guilt so she takes on the case and begins her own investigation.

After looking into several (shady) corners of this case, Dana realizes everything is not what it seems, and the further she probes, the further the media exposes every aspect of the case, as well as bringing to light things from Dana's personal life. With her life spinning out of control, Dana begins a battle with an unknown assailant hell-bent on using her as a pawn in a vast conspiracy that reaches far past the courtroom.

`Act Of God' is not only an excellent page-turner, but a novel of a very controversial topic. The plot takes off on page one, and does not let up for 500 pages more. Every character in this novel is well-drawn, and the plot twists come fast and furious. You will not only stay up late to find out the answers to this perfectly plotted mystery, but also to find out what will become of the main characters. Everything in this novel works, from it's hot topic, to it's heart racing suspense.

Susan Sloan is the author of two previous best-sellers; `Guilt By Association', and `An Isolated Incident' both of which happen to be two of my favorite all-time novels. This time around Ms. Sloan raises the stakes with a legal thriller that not only thrills, but makes you think.

I can't recommend this novel highly enough, at a whopping 530 pages I finished it in one sitting, and was sad to see it end. Buy this book, you will not be disappointed.

A MUST read!!!

Nick Gonnella

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan Sloan has done it again!, May 4, 2002

By 

BeachReader (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act of God (Hardcover)

Susan Sloan has written another book that had me reading the last two pages over and over again to be sure that I had read it correctly. She is the master of surprise twists, that is for sure. "Guilt by Association" remains my favorite of hers, the ultimate suspenseful thriller.

From the very first page, I was pulled into this story and the intensity never let up. I hated to put the book down to attend to the necessary chores of daily living! And when I finished, I was sorry that I no longer had this book to look forward to.

No need here to go into another synopsis, because other reviewers have ably done so before me.

Sloan's characters are fully fleshed out, as is her plot. She never got preachy about the abortion issue but presented a balanced view. At times I found the politics/policies a little confusing as each "side" tries to present its case in the best light.

If you get this book, be sure to put aside a good chunk of time to read it, because you will not be able to put it down!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well- crafted and engrossing thriller, June 30, 2002

By 

Narayan Radhakrishnan (Trivandrum, Kerala, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act of God (Hardcover)

Former Attorney & author of An Isolated Incident & Guilt by Association, Susan Sloan explores in this superb courtroom drama Act of God, an area that doesn&3146;t often become the theme of a legal thriller - the question of abortion rights vis-Â-vis the rights of the unborn.

Corey Latham, a young naval officer has been accused of bombing the Seattle Family Service Center - a clinic that provided health services to the poor & homeless, as well as legal abortions. The bomb has killed more than a 100 people, most of them women & children.

Gritty & determined attorney, Dana McAuliffe is assigned the task of defending Corey. She gears up for action, but finds herself in the midst of a media frenzy, where the pro-choice & the anti-abortionists have decided to use the trial as an epitome of their agenda. Corey, it seems had every reason to feel hatred towards the Center, for it was in there that Corey-s wife had an abortion without his consent. With evidence loaded against Corey, a chance for acquittal seems almost nil.

McAuliffe hires her own investigator & begins to probe into the State-s case, slowly finding some points in favor of Corey.

The highlight of the work is the balance the author maintains in the courtroom action, & the "legalese" that is strong & steady for both sides, culminating in an exciting & even-sided battle in the courtroom.

Often we have seen courtroom drams dissolve into mere courtroom antics. Act of God is a noble exception, as Sloan maintains the sobriety of the issue throughout.

The question of pro-choice & pro-life have rarely made its presence so strongly felt in the legal thriller arena - save for a Robert Shapiro's Misconception or Richard North Patterson's Protect and Defend.

Act of God also poses another important question of whether abortion should remain exclusively within the zone of individual privacy or whether, & if so, to what extent, the law or State can exercise control over such actions of a person.

Act of God is sure to excite the connoisseur of good legal-fiction. It makes a thrilling &, at the same time, poignant & savory read.