The Burden of Proof 

By Davis Bunn 

Published by Revell 

320 Pages

NORA’S REVIEW: If you love John Grisham’s intense courtroom drama and stories about second chances, you will love this novel. The characters and their situation grabbed my heart and never let it go. Ethan comes to terms with the fact doctors gave him a few months to live. Just when he was coming to terms with his new reality, in walks his estranged scientific Professor sister-in-law with an opportunity he would not have considered if cancer were not eating up his body. It is an out of the box, wild option but what did he have to lose. He would be her human lab rat.

This story had throwback elements from the 1980’s on Coco Beach Florida, there were no cellphones, no internet, no video games, and the Nasa Program was in it’s heyday. Life was simple back then. One thing remained constant, how people prepared for hurricane season. Ethan loved to surf, and the best surfing could be had on Coco Beach during dangerous times. I enjoyed surfing with Ethan and his friend.

Another fun thing is the Back to the Future elements sprinkled throughout this intense page turning novel I could not put down. This would be a wonderful book club pick. There is so much to discuss. If you have not read a book by this author, I highly recommend this one.

FROM THE BACK COVER: Three weeks after his twenty-third birthday, Ethan missed the chance to save his brother’s life when he was murdered on the steps of the courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida. Ever since that fateful day, Ethan has sensed a deep disconnect between the man he should have been and the one he has become. His days play out a beat too slow, his mind replaying the scene of his failure again and again.

But when his brother’s widow appears, asking for his help in uncovering what was really behind his brother’s death, Ethan is stunned to hear that she and her late husband were involved in a much larger case than he knew–one that threatens the global power structure. As Ethan joins the search for answers, he will enter into his own past–and discover a means of redeeming his future.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent 

• TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! 
• The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org