The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow

"The Witnesses" by Robert Whitlow is a Christian legal thriller set in North Carolina. Parker House is a young attorney, hoping to make a name for himself as an associate in a local firm. A special ability, that he shares with his grandfather, is already making him a valuable asset, but things take a sudden turn when Frank House is visited from someone he knew in World War 2 Germany---when he was known as Franz Haus.

An intriguing woman he meets, and who also happens to be the daughter of a prominent attorney, provides new insights into his grandfather's shrouded past, and also leads to new prospects for Parker when he is offered to head of the new local branch Layla's father is opening. But, is it an attempt to interfere in his daughter's life or related to the mysteries Frank won't discuss?

The action of the book goes back and forth between present day and World War 2, with the narrator's voice also switching between Parker and Frank, yet it just helps add layers to a story that is a page-turner. "The Witnesses" has less focus on legal matters than some of Whitlow's past novels, but a richness of character development that I enjoyed. I also loved the spiritual journey that Frank takes that leads him back to a nearly forgotten childhood memory. The action built up slowly, but kept my interest, and the ending left me satisfied. Altogether a great tale of forgiveness, faith, overcoming the past, and second chances.

I received a complimentary copy of this Thomas Nelson Book from BookLook Bloggers. I was not required to give a good review and all opinions are my own.

A House Divided by Robert Whitlow

Corbin, a longtime legal champion for the downtrodden, is slowly drinking himself into the grave. His love for “mountain water” has cost him his marriage to the godliest woman he knows, ruined his relationship with his daughter, Roxy, and reduced the business at his small Georgia law firm to a level where he can barely keep the bill collectors at bay. But it isn’t until his son, Ray, threatens to limit Corbin’s time with his grandson that Corbin begins to acknowledge he might have a problem.

Despite the mess that surrounds his personal life and against the advice of everyone he knows, Corbin takes on a high-stakes tort case on behalf of two boys who have contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to an alleged chemical exposure. The defendant, a fertilizer company, is the largest employer in the area. The lawsuit becomes a tornado that sucks Corbin, Ray, and Roxy into an increasingly deadly vortex. Equally intense pressure within the family threatens to destroy, once and for all, the thin threads that connect them.

Corbin must find the strength to stand up to his personal demons. Justice for two dying boys depends on it . . . his family depends on it. (publisher's description)
My Review: I have loved every Whitlow book I have read, but this one was just not as satisfying to read. Instead of devouring it within a few hours, as usual, it actually took a couple of weeks. I don't know if the characters just weren't developed enough for me to feel a connection or if it was that the people he was defending seemed to be too minor---more of a subplot, but not essential to the story being told.

The struggles with alcohol, family relationships, and how it impacted the family were interesting, but I wanted more of the legal aspects and how it affected the town. When I got to the end, I thought, "That's it?" It was like the conclusion to the case was tossed in as an after-thought just because he was near the end the book. I wanted to know more. I still love Whitlow and look forward to his next book. This was just a so-so one for me, but he has spoiled me with the excellence of previous novels.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book at no cost to myself in exchange for a fair and honest review from BookLook Bloggers.

The Trial

The Trial , based on the Robert Whitlow book, is a 2010 film directed and produced by Gary Wheeler. Attorney Kent "Mac" McClain (Matthew Modine) is considering suicide after the deaths of his wife and sons. However, the local judge (Rance Howard) insists Mac provide counsel for a young man (Randy Wayne) who is accused of murder. Mac rehires his assistant Mindy (Nikki Deloach) and his investigator Ray (Robert Forster) and gets assistance from psychologist Dr. Anna Wilkes (Clare Carey). With the prosecuting attorney, Joe Whetstone (Bob Gunton) pushing for the death penalty, will Mac be able to save the young man's life...and begin to live again himself?

 This courtroom drama is not the most compelling I have ever watched, but I did enjoy it. It has been a while since I have read the book, so I couldn't remember the details well enough to compare the two. I thought it was well written, and the actors were believable in their roles. A highlight, though, was the comic relief of Rodney MacFarland (Danny Vinson). Altogether, though, I really liked the film.