First Rate Legal Thriller
Rating:
4 / 5
Normally I don't read many books in this genre, although I enjoy the legal chess moves, both in and out of court. The last two I recall finishing were John Grisham's 'The Firm' and Scott Turow's 'Pleading Guilty'. Usually I just wait for the movie to come out. Kerr's specialty is, to be exact, the medical legal thriller. As a medical malpractice lawyer, as well as a former war crimes journalist in The Hague and a supervisor of the first democratic municiple elections in the Serb Republic of Bosnia(Former Yugoslavia), he brings considerable knowledge and experience to his writing. His style of writing sometimes gets entangled in legal and medical lingo. This is forgivable because of the completity of the subject at hand. I wonder with the current conflict in the Middle East, that the Geneva Convention, first convened in 1949, is more relevant then ever.
Finally, a lawyer gets it right
Rating:
5 / 5
This story of mass murder in the Balkans, perhaps replicated in Boulder, Colorado, demands the reader's consideration of issues of legal/medical/polital/ethical concerns. The story almost swerves over the fog-line and into to the ditch on a couple of occasions, but Kerr steers it back on track. Characterization is built subtly, but Kerr's signposts (references to varied ethnicity, contemporary events, logos on tee shirts, technology) suggest the character development as the story progresses. A good tale, well told. Of more significance to this lawyer of 30 years' trial experience, is Kerr's steadfast adherence to the technical aspects of his tale. Too many books by lawyers fall into a slipshod depiction of legal processes, creating a false notion of how the legal system actually operates, thinking, I suppose, that it somehow advances the drama of the story. Kerr is meticulous in using the law as it is, not as he might fashion it to advance the drama of his tale. For instance, it is apparent that he had to deal with issues of conflicts of interest. He didn't duck those issues; he planted waivers of conflict by the concerned parties into the narrative that justify his protagonist's actions. The courtroom scenes (examinations, objections, sidebars, arguments, rulings) ring true. He even references the appropriate rules. He shows a true trial lawyers perception when he explains to his client that when the court consistently rules against them on discretionary matters, it's a good sign. The judge thinks they're going to win, and doesn't want to provide the other side with any issues for appeal. This is a lawyer's book that the non-lawyer can enjoy, and that the lawyer-reader can read, and say: "finally, a lawyer gets it right."
Wrongful Death is a Great Read
Rating:
4 / 5
This novel has an excellent plot with insights into several areas
of personal injury actions. The author manages to discuss
issues on three different levels simultaneously and every
reader finds a comfort level that leads to entertaining and
informative reading. Mr. Kerr mixes medical, legal, and
psychological elments nicely so that the reader is the big
winner. As a personal injury lawyer myself, I found that Mr.
Kerr painted a realistic picture of much of the strategy behind
a trial which constitutes a great opportunity for those who
have not participated in a trial as an attorney to develop
new appreciation for the process. This book is definitely worth
the investment of time to read.
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