Customer Reviews

Dead Man's Rule (Dead Man's Rule Series #1)

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Eye-opener into what might be going on right under our noses with a hopeful insight after all -- a worthy read!

I discovered Rick Acker through his sophomore novel, "Blood Brothers." That book was a mix of legal, medical, and action elements. I went back to find his debut, and I'm pleased to say this book was equally entertaining.

When Ben Corbin takes on a new legal case involving the mysterious contents of a safe-deposit box, he has no idea he will be confronting leftover Soviet biochemical secrets from the Cold War. These secrets are sought by a unique brand of modern bio-terrorists, who will stop at nothing to carry out their plans. Along the way, he faces trouble from a formidable opponent in the courtroom, and from his own client who is not always forthcoming.

The book starts as an intriguing legal thriller, along the lines of Randy Singer, with some twists that are not revealed until the end. The legal elements begin working themselves out halfway through the book, and then things begin to accelerate into some medical and action scenes, mixing Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton elements. Once again, Acker shows that he is proficient at a number of different things, bringing together these various styles into one cohesive style of his own.

I hear Acker is working on a new book with some underwater adventure added to his legal components. I, for one, can't wait to see where his career goes from here.

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."

Rick Acker is one of my new authors at Abingdon Press. I knew his upcoming release WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES (Fall 2010) was a fast-paced thriller, so I decided to read DEAD MAN'S RULE originally published by Kregal. It exceeded my expectations! Rick is an attorney who works for the DOJ and delivers fiction that rivals John Grisham. If you love legal thrillers, Rick Acker delivers every time.

I just LOVED this book. If you like Bourne movies, this book is for you. It's very fast pace. I couldn't put it down and read into the wee hours. I have a difficult time getting through some novels, even Pulitzer Prize books, but not this one. The book carries an excellent plot and had a really good twist, which was a big shock for me. I would have NEVER thought of it.

BRAVO Rick. You've done a GREAT job. Keep the suspense coming.

Dead Man's Rule had me on the edge from beginning to end. I could hardly put the book down during meal times and even when I was brushing my teeth. It was among the best suspense-thrillers I've ever read. When I first started reading I thought I'd be reading a legal thriller in the vein of a John Grisham novel. But as I read more, I felt like I was watching a Robert Ludlum Bourne-series movie. Best of all, Rick Acker skillfully wove in the theme of trusting God in impossible predicaments. I highly recommend this entertaining novel.

Rick Acker's "Dead Man's Rule" is a fast paced adventure, legal thriller that includes courtroom drama, biochemical warfare, and plot twists that involve Russian Mafia connections, terrorist activities, the FBI, the CIA, and the world wide significance of activity by the KGB twenty-five years ago.

Eccentric Russian scientist, Dr. Mikhail Ivanovsky, engages a young attorney, Ben Corbin, who has recently established his own practice, to represent him regarding the legal ownership of a safety deposit box.

Before the case goes to trial the other party in the case suddenly dies. His death is attributed to a drug overdose. His attorney, Anthony Simeon, invokes the Dead Man's rule, an old law which remains in effect in Illinois. This law bars one party of an oral contract from testifying about the agreement if the other party is dead. This left Ben without his key witness and no chance of winning.

The case takes a greater magnitude when Ivanovsky makes known what is in the box. He discloses information of a virus designed for bioterrorism. Ben pulls in friends from among his college and law school days, for collaboration in gathering information, through FBI and private channels. They uncover a terrorist plot directly related to the contents of the safe deposit box. Non stop action and a complex plot kept me turning pages, trying to outguess the plot as intrigue built suspense and the cycle was repeated again and again.

Ackers writing is well researched. He is well versed in the knowledge of the law and well acquainted with the Chicago locale. His work is imaginative and creative. His characters are authentic and believable. His engaging dialog adds to the credibility of a complex story line. I appreciated the information regarding investigative procedures, courtroom protocol, and legal ethics.

A strong theme throughout the book deals with man's search for meaning, confronting death, and a positive message of man's imperfections and God's forgiveness. I expect Rick Acker will have an important impact on the future trend taken by the Christian Fiction genre. A great read!

To be honest, I was kind of forced to get this, but I won't reveal why. And only a few people know. But it was one of those nice surprises, because I wondered why I'd ignored the likes of Rick Acker for so long. A California litigator writing a Chicago story, oh boy! This gets more interesting than when the Packers play the Bears, baby!!

Ben Corbin likes his practice, but gets the unexpected case, where things are not always as they appear. When Dr. Mikhail Ivanovsky secures Ben as his lawyer, things get sharp, and they get elusive, as well as a little bit crazy. Ivanovsky plays by his rules, and there are certain people he will have nothing to do with. And when unexpectedly, somebody gets shot, Dead Man's Rule is invoked, and things go from crazy to terrifying. What is the price to pay in a case such as this? What value can be held in a simple safe-deposit box? What kind of intervention is to be expected?

Rick Acker writes well, and has you wanting to turn the pages, despite longer chapters. He does some great research in this, and you believe every word that comes off the page. And he also displays where the sting of death is, especially for those with faith in Christ.

Ok, so you may not have heard of Rick Acker. But I will say this much, if you read his work, you'll be looking for more of it! Because "Dead Man's Rule" is DEAD ON for one great read!

25 years ago,Nuclear war was THE threat. Today it's become generally accepted that no civilized country would unleash a nuclear weapon. Now the threat has become the possibility of biological weapons in the hands of terrorist. I've read several books that explore this theme and each time, I walk away with a renewed belief that evil people will do evil things, but God is in control.

Lawyer Ben Corbin is hired by Dr. Ivanosky to help acquire the contents of a safety deposit box belonging to a dead Russian spy. When Ben agrees to take the case, he has no idea what is inside the box or why it is so vitally important that they win. As information emerges about the contents, Ben understands the necessity for the box to fall into the right hands. However, winning the case seems impossible when the defendant dies and the testimony of Dr. Ivanosky can no longer be used. What will happen if the box lands in the hands of terrorists?

Dead Man's Rule has some nice surprises, but the overall plot is pretty predictable. While there's the legal drama surrounding the box, it seemed obvious what the outcome would be. The suspense was more in how they got to the destination. However, this book is rich with characters, many of which are very surprising.

The threat of biological weapons is scary. It doesn't take a genius to know there are people who would use them if they had them. Remembering God is in control is what keeps books like Dead Man's Rule from causing many sleepless nights. Towards the end, there is a very poignant scene between Ben and Dr. Ivanosky, which serves as a good reminder for all of us who try to direct our paths too much. Sometimes trusting God is our best option.

Books like Dead Man's Rule are not always comfortable to read, however, they serve as a good reminder of the evil in this world and the good in Christ. Evil will always be with us and sometimes people will wield that evil in violent deadly ways. However, we know God has won the war and we must not coward in fear.

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.