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Summary: Few Titles Compare, Absolutely Genius!
Review: As someone who despises the corruption far too often found in American government and fascinated with the workings of our legal system - both civilian and otherwise - this title really was a grand slam with me. It was entertaining while still being down to earth and representative of the issues any trial lawyer with scruples must wrestle with.The pace at which this title keeps the reader turning pages is ferocious and accuracy of the legal events in the title is astounding. At the same time, a sense of realism and a sense of normalcy is maintained throughout. At several times the reader is startled by unexpected events to keep him going. But perhaps the most startling event of all is the ending. In nearly all cases... the knowledgeable reader already has a good idea what the ending will be before reading 75% of the title and is rarely shocked by the ending. There are plenty of hairpin turns and sharp corners in this book, none are more abrupt than the ending which leave the reader both satisfied and puzzled.
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Summary: Are The Book And Movie The Same? Or Different?
Review: As usual the book is better than the movie. Having seen the movie first, I hesitated reading this legal thriller about a woman who is a Harvard law professor and a highly regarded defense attorney who defends her husband in a military trial. He is accused of killing 87 unarmed civilians in San Salvador thirteen years previous. He had been living with wife Claire Heller Chapman as Tom Chapman, a new identity for this Special Forces soldier named Ronald Kubik. Claire is shocked and overwhelmed when he is arrested and charged. After realizing he will be convicted quickly in a military court, she decides to apply her skill as a gifted defense attorney and defend him. She must learn the nuances of military jurisprudence, so she hires ex-JAG attorney, Charles O. Grimes III ( Morgan Freeman in the movie). Claire wants desperately to believe her husband is not a killer, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. As the evidence is presented, she raises creative challenges that would normally cause reasonable doubt in a civilian jury. However, the judge doesn't give her any favorable rulings and Claire realizes she is working against a stacked deck. This realization helps extinguish any lingering doubt that something is wrong and convinces her of Tom's professed innocence. This multi-layered plot helped erase my own doubt about the time I spent reading a story of which I already knew the outcome. There is enough difference in the storyline as well as in the complexity of the plot that I was actually unsure if the book would end in the same way as the movie. There is enough difference to recommend the book for both those who have seen the movie and those who haven't to find out how it ends. I think you will be pleasantly satisfied.
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Summary: Is your husband who you think he is? (3.5 stars)
Review: High Crimes begins with great promise: idyllic lives are shattered with the sudden appearance of federal agents with the intent of arresting the husband of successful attorney and law professor, Claire Heller Chapman. The arrest warrant is for Ron Kubick, not Tom Chapman, the name by which Claire had always known her husband. To add to Claire's astonishment, Ron/Tom escapes from the agents through a series of highly athletic and violent escape moves that an investment consultant could scarcely possess. As it turns out, Ron has evaded answering for war crimes that he allegedly committed some thirteen years prior as a member of an ultra-secret special operations unit. Part of the evasion was the creation of an entirely new person. Claire, convinced of her husband's innocence, decides to defend him despite her ignorance of the workings of military justice. About half of the book is concerned with the actions of Claire and her two attorney partners, one a black man rescued off of a scrap heap and the other a young JAG officer, in dealing with military trial procedures and is somewhat interesting. The plot, though perhaps a bit on both the unbelievable and predictable sides, moves fairly steadily. It is in the area of character development and interactions that the book exhibits some shortcomings. Some of the characters' actions just do not feel right. A petite attorney kneeing her husband in the groin after a reunion under trying circumstances seems bizarre. The interactions with the six year old daughter are especially grating. Numerous other exchanges seem spliced together. One reviewer comments on the improved dialog. There is still a ways to go. High Crimes has a good overall story line, but the discontinuities, as noted, do not help it. Not having read other Finder books, it will be interesting to see if a smoother presentation can be found in other and future books.
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Summary: WHAT A GREAT WRITER!!!!!!
Review: High Crimes captures the reader from the very first chapter. The plot is simple -- happy marriage until a past secret is revealed and then all hell breaks loose. Military politics, courtroom drama and an ending that will totally shock the reader. Limited characters make this easy to read. I love the short chapters because it makes it easy to follow. I read Joseph Finder's Paranoia, which is another great book. This is fiction at its very best!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Nearly impossible to put down!!
Review: High Crimes was almost impossible to put down. Thankfully I read this book over the Thanksgiving holiday, when some serious time could be allocated to relaxing and reading. High Crimes is a fast-paced, enjoyable read from the very beginning. There is action, excitement, intrigue, and frequent plot twists. In the story itself, law professor Claire Chapman comes to defend her husband, Tom Chapman, against charges that he committed a military atrocity under a different identity while serving in the US Army. Although some of the action is predictable, confusion, uncertainty, and surprise is the general rule, thus driving the reader to want to read "just one more chapter." I strongly recommend High Crimes. It should prove to be an entertaining read. The only downside is that it will be over all to quickly.
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Summary: Joseph Finder is a great find!!!
Review: I became familiar with this author's name after reading reviews of his new book, PARANOIA. So, I put that one on reserve at the library and checked out HIGH CRIMES. What a great book! I love court room dramas anyway, and this one was gripping. Claire is defending her husband who has been arrested on charges of committing 87 murders during a wartime slaughter. Lawyer Claire takes on the job of defending him in a military trial. The trial itself is fascinating, but that ending is a blockbuster and so unexpected. Now I find that it has been made into a movie, and I want to see it. I hope they didn't change a thing. I really recommend this book for all readers who enjoy a good thriller.
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Summary: Mystery fan
Review: I got as far as page 86 and could not take the Pres.Reagan bashing. No wonder hollywood made a movie
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Summary: ~*~The First Law Book to Ever Keep My Attention~*~
Review: I know when you read my title, it just doesn't say much, but I forgot to add the fact that I'm 16. Not many law books are going to keep my attention long enough for me to actually like it. "High Crimes" had me from the very first chase scene through the mall. It's a great book...a def. must-read for all who like drama/thillers...of course...you go to read through all the legal stuff...but it's worth it because that's were all the twist and turns come in. So don't jump ahead and see what happens cause you just might skip a turn and get lost in the mase.
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Summary: Court Room Fiction
Review: I recently read Finder's sensational novel Paranoia so decided to check out his earlier work in the hope they would be just as enjoyable a read. High Crimes certainly started off extremely well and for the first quarter of the book you are on a non stop thrill ride but the next three quarters of the book are set in and around a court room and a military one at that which isn't as exciting. That's not to say the remainder of the book isn't well written and clever, it is just not as exciting as the first part. I'm not really into American court room fiction, I usually change the channel after the first half of Law and Order but I stuck with it until the end of this book. It is a satisfactory, no holes in the storyline good read although the ending is very predictable, and if your fan of this genre I would definitely recommend it, but I can't really compare High Crimes to Grisham or other writers of this kind of thing as courtroom fiction doesn't interest me. If you are however only thinking about getting this because you loved Paranoia, just be aware it is not the same sort of thing.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner by Joseph Finder
Review: Joseph Finder is, simply put, a GREAT author.
This is the second book I've read by him, and I continue to be impressed. I found myself wrapped up in High Crimes from the very beginning.
OK, it seemed a little bit like an episode of JAG and A Few Good Men, but it was still really good.
Do yourself a favor and discover Joseph Finder.
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