Blood Brothers

by Rick Acker

Satisfying. Blood Brothers by Rick Acker is satisfying.  That may not sound like much of a compliment, but it really is–the same way that an excellent meal is satisfying. When I finished the book, I found the ending had come at the right time and in the right way without being predictable.  Through Acker’s writing I had experienced just the right amount of excitement and intrigue within a framework of our legal and investigative systems and a background of scientific research.  There was even a touch of history and the romance of a foreign country.

When I reviewed Acker’s book Dead Man’s Rule, I mentioned that the main character’s wife, Noelle, had only a minor role and was not well-developed.  That deficit was rectified in this novel as Noelle is presented as a three-dimensional character adding realism to the novel.

Blood Brothers deals to a great degree with relationships–mainly focusing on two rich brothers, Karl and Gunner, at odds over control of their pharmaceutical company and also on lawyer Ben Corbin and his spouse Noelle.  Private investigator Sergei Spassky, who is a new Christian, has to confront his feelings for FBI agent Elena Kamenev, a nonbeliever who shares his Russian heritage.  Together they have to face the ramifications of very different religious beliefs.

The intricacies of the lawsuit and countersuit were handled well including the reactions of a fairly new judge and the chosen jury.  Insights into the science trials were also interesting and included one loose end (a mistake made by a summer intern) that surprisingly was not included in the book’s resolution. I appreciated the brief afterword containing nonfiction information related to some of the technical aspects of the book.  I definitely advise reading it after you finish the book, however, as reading it in advance would spoil the story for you.

Rick Acker has written three legal thrillers for adults and two detective mysteries intended for a younger audience, but as is often the case with a well-written book for youth, several reviewers also recommend them for a fun read for adults.  I definitely was not disappointed by Blood Brothers, the second of Acker’s engaging tales for me and certainly not the last.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Waterfall Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased review.