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roaratrenee's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was not expecting the way to end like it did!!
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"Claire Chapman has it all. A celebrity professor at Harvard Law School and high-powered criminal defence attorney, she has recently successfully defended a movie star in a rape trial. And she has a loving husband, Tom, and a cute six year old daughter. But this is all about to change. A random burglary sets off a terrifying chain of events. Tom is arrested and put on trial for a thirteen year old mass murder, and Claire puts her reputation on the line to defend him. But as the trial progresses, it becomes apparent that the Pentagon will let nothing stand in the way of Tom's conviction and Claire's faith in her husband is tested to the limit." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed the movie with Morgan Freeman so had to try out the novel. Good suspense.
"Claire Chapman has it all. A celebrity professor at Harvard Law School and high-powered criminal defence attorney, she has recently successfully defended a movie star in a rape trial. And she has a loving husband, Tom, and a cute six year old daughter. But this is all about to change. A random burglary sets off a terrifying chain of events. Tom is arrested and put on trial for a thirteen year old mass murder, and Claire puts her reputation on the line to defend him. But as the trial progresses, it becomes apparent that the Pentagon will let nothing stand in the way of Tom's conviction and Claire's faith in her husband is tested to the limit." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed the movie with Morgan Freeman so had to try out the novel. Good suspense.
whaney's review
5.0
Wow! Every time I pickup one of his books I think I'm not going to like it as well as his others. I'm never disappointed! This one I couldn't put down. The ending was a huge surprise!!!
bookhawk's review
3.0
3 stars. The strength of High Crimes was the courtroom dialogue and action. The weakness was that it was a little over the top on a Lifetime movie with the strong female victim. High Crimes is a quick read and I appreciated the short chapters and good pacing.
weaselweader's review
4.0
Gripping legal thriller brain candy!
Do you remember William Calley and the disturbing story of his court martial as a result of the 1968 Vietnam War My Lai massacre? Now consider a fictional legal thriller based on the same circumstances with a somewhat different outcome. In HIGH CRIMES, the government and the military top brass will go to extreme measures to ensure their part in a senseless massacre that occurred when a well-intentioned black op went seriously off the rails stays under deep cover and out of public sight. “Extreme measures” in this case means the prosecution, court-martial and almost certain execution of Tom Chapman, a soldier who knows the true story of what happened that day and who has deep-sixed his true identity knowing he’d ultimately be targeted as the government fall guy for what happened on that fateful day over thirteen years earlier.
An eminently readable, compulsively page-turning thriller that fans of the genre will almost certainly demolish in a very small number of sittings! Enjoy the moment because it’s equally certain that you’ll forget the details, if not even the ending, within a matter of days after you’ve turned the last page. But, ultimately, that just doesn’t matter. What you WILL remember is that you enjoyed it thoroughly without having been mentally taxed for even a moment! And isn’t that what thriller brain candy is all about?
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Do you remember William Calley and the disturbing story of his court martial as a result of the 1968 Vietnam War My Lai massacre? Now consider a fictional legal thriller based on the same circumstances with a somewhat different outcome. In HIGH CRIMES, the government and the military top brass will go to extreme measures to ensure their part in a senseless massacre that occurred when a well-intentioned black op went seriously off the rails stays under deep cover and out of public sight. “Extreme measures” in this case means the prosecution, court-martial and almost certain execution of Tom Chapman, a soldier who knows the true story of what happened that day and who has deep-sixed his true identity knowing he’d ultimately be targeted as the government fall guy for what happened on that fateful day over thirteen years earlier.
An eminently readable, compulsively page-turning thriller that fans of the genre will almost certainly demolish in a very small number of sittings! Enjoy the moment because it’s equally certain that you’ll forget the details, if not even the ending, within a matter of days after you’ve turned the last page. But, ultimately, that just doesn’t matter. What you WILL remember is that you enjoyed it thoroughly without having been mentally taxed for even a moment! And isn’t that what thriller brain candy is all about?
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
lcahi479's review
3.0
Summary: A legal thriller about a lawyer named Claire who has to defend her husband in court after he is accused of military murder.
Objectionable Elements: Some infrequent swearing.
Overall- I always find legal thrillers interesting so I think I liked it because it tailored to my genre. It seemed like it could have been better developed in some ways. Good read but not GREAT.
Objectionable Elements: Some infrequent swearing.
Overall- I always find legal thrillers interesting so I think I liked it because it tailored to my genre. It seemed like it could have been better developed in some ways. Good read but not GREAT.
charlotte97's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
trixie_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I knew what would happen at the end about halfway through the book -- and some of the legal talk was pretty boring.
ncrabb's review against another edition
4.0
Claire Heller teaches at Harvard's law school. She's married to a highly
successful broker, and life in Boston is opulent and good. Claire has
gained tremendous notoriety as the attorney who freed a convicted rapist on
a legal technicality.
On a memorable night when the little family is eating at a Boston
restaurant, law enforcement officials literally storm the place and attempt
to take Claire's husband away. He evades them initially, and while they are
looking for him, they fill Claire in on the facts about the man she thought
she had married. Everything she had learned had to be unlearned-or did it?
Military law enforcement officials insist that Claire's husband is a
fugitive from military justice. He participated in the gruesome murder of
87 Vietnamese villagers.
Refusing to believe all she hears, Claire determines to defend her husband
in a military court-something she knows little about-and her nightmare of
discovery relentlessly unfurls.
Although there are no sexual descriptions here, the F-bomb gets dropped a
good bit as does other bits of profanity here and there. This is, after
all, a military court proceeding.
So skillful is this author at creating the plot and characters that you are
pulled in every twisting gut-roiling direction he wants to take you. The
ending was a complete mind blow; I sure didn't see it coming. It's highly
satisfactory, but it's rather surprising really.
successful broker, and life in Boston is opulent and good. Claire has
gained tremendous notoriety as the attorney who freed a convicted rapist on
a legal technicality.
On a memorable night when the little family is eating at a Boston
restaurant, law enforcement officials literally storm the place and attempt
to take Claire's husband away. He evades them initially, and while they are
looking for him, they fill Claire in on the facts about the man she thought
she had married. Everything she had learned had to be unlearned-or did it?
Military law enforcement officials insist that Claire's husband is a
fugitive from military justice. He participated in the gruesome murder of
87 Vietnamese villagers.
Refusing to believe all she hears, Claire determines to defend her husband
in a military court-something she knows little about-and her nightmare of
discovery relentlessly unfurls.
Although there are no sexual descriptions here, the F-bomb gets dropped a
good bit as does other bits of profanity here and there. This is, after
all, a military court proceeding.
So skillful is this author at creating the plot and characters that you are
pulled in every twisting gut-roiling direction he wants to take you. The
ending was a complete mind blow; I sure didn't see it coming. It's highly
satisfactory, but it's rather surprising really.
blood_rose_books's review
3.0
In his novel High Crimes, Joseph Finder explores the length that one woman will go to in order to save her husband's life even if it turns out that he is a man that knew nothing about.
Claire Chapman has a great life. She is successful lawyer with a teaching practice at one of the most prestigious law schools in the country, she was able to find a great man after her first husband died, her life could not be better. But Claire's life is about to be turned upside down by the FBI who are not interested in her but in her husband Tom Chapman. Tom Chapman is not the man that Claire had married, it was not even his real name. He had been hiding everything from her, his past, his role in the military, everything. Tom has been charged with killing 87 indigenous people, women and children, on a South America mission. Claire may not have known her husband's past but she know who he is and is not about to let him face the charges without her. But Clarie soon realizes that the Military is still the "Old Boys Club" who will protect their secrets and superiors at any cost. Claire is about to get a lesson in Military Law and Practices some of which are legal and illegal.
I have not read too many courtroom thriller novels. I do not know why I shied away from this genre before, but I was completely hooked while reading this book. I think that Finder has found himself a new follower for the courtroom thriller. With an interesting and twisting storyline, Finder was able to draw me in, and capture the courtroom aspect as well as create well defined characters.
This book was a great mixture of mystery and courtroom drama. With each new piece of evidence that is uncovered you discover more and more of the conspiracy that the government is able to undertake to protect it's secrets. There are many twists and turns and you are never really sure who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. There are strong cases on each side, but you never know how far lawyers and the government are willing to manipulate the evidence.
I like Claire for the most part as main character. I think that Finder did a good job of creating a strong lawyer, but also an individual who struggles in her home life. She is killer in the courtroom and presents a strong female lead who is willing to even go after the military in order to safe her husband. However, Claire did not cross the line from strong female to Bitchy. She was willing to receive advice and help from people who knew the military court system better than her. I am glad that Finder was able to find this balance and not cross that line. Claire also showed that she was more concerned about her husband than her daughter at times, and Finder did a good job of showing this dismissal actions of Annabell's.
The only part that became a little redundant is you knew that the defense was going to have an answer for everything. This only became a little bit of a hindrance to the story in the latter part of the book, as you knew that Kate was going to introduce evidence only to have it shot down. As I said it got a little bit redundant, but it fit the flow of the courtroom and the story line that Finder had set out. Also I am unsure if it means something different in the USA but voir dire in Canada means a trail within a trial, i'm unsure if Finder was using the right words for the context that they were written but as I said it might be different between the two countries.
This was a really good read (I can see why it was made into a movie, also by the same name with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. I have not seen the movie, but I may have to look it up now) and I know that I will read another book by Finder as well as explore more courtroom thriller authors out there (suggestions welcome). I feel like Finder has opened me up to a genre that needs to be explored.
Enjoy!!!!
Claire Chapman has a great life. She is successful lawyer with a teaching practice at one of the most prestigious law schools in the country, she was able to find a great man after her first husband died, her life could not be better. But Claire's life is about to be turned upside down by the FBI who are not interested in her but in her husband Tom Chapman. Tom Chapman is not the man that Claire had married, it was not even his real name. He had been hiding everything from her, his past, his role in the military, everything. Tom has been charged with killing 87 indigenous people, women and children, on a South America mission. Claire may not have known her husband's past but she know who he is and is not about to let him face the charges without her. But Clarie soon realizes that the Military is still the "Old Boys Club" who will protect their secrets and superiors at any cost. Claire is about to get a lesson in Military Law and Practices some of which are legal and illegal.
I have not read too many courtroom thriller novels. I do not know why I shied away from this genre before, but I was completely hooked while reading this book. I think that Finder has found himself a new follower for the courtroom thriller. With an interesting and twisting storyline, Finder was able to draw me in, and capture the courtroom aspect as well as create well defined characters.
This book was a great mixture of mystery and courtroom drama. With each new piece of evidence that is uncovered you discover more and more of the conspiracy that the government is able to undertake to protect it's secrets. There are many twists and turns and you are never really sure who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. There are strong cases on each side, but you never know how far lawyers and the government are willing to manipulate the evidence.
I like Claire for the most part as main character. I think that Finder did a good job of creating a strong lawyer, but also an individual who struggles in her home life. She is killer in the courtroom and presents a strong female lead who is willing to even go after the military in order to safe her husband. However, Claire did not cross the line from strong female to Bitchy. She was willing to receive advice and help from people who knew the military court system better than her. I am glad that Finder was able to find this balance and not cross that line. Claire also showed that she was more concerned about her husband than her daughter at times, and Finder did a good job of showing this dismissal actions of Annabell's.
The only part that became a little redundant is you knew that the defense was going to have an answer for everything. This only became a little bit of a hindrance to the story in the latter part of the book, as you knew that Kate was going to introduce evidence only to have it shot down. As I said it got a little bit redundant, but it fit the flow of the courtroom and the story line that Finder had set out. Also I am unsure if it means something different in the USA but voir dire in Canada means a trail within a trial, i'm unsure if Finder was using the right words for the context that they were written but as I said it might be different between the two countries.
This was a really good read (I can see why it was made into a movie, also by the same name with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. I have not seen the movie, but I may have to look it up now) and I know that I will read another book by Finder as well as explore more courtroom thriller authors out there (suggestions welcome). I feel like Finder has opened me up to a genre that needs to be explored.
Enjoy!!!!