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Act of God
More than 200 people--including children--are killed when an extremist bombs a Seattle family clinic. A naval officer is arrested and attorney Dana McAuliffe is assigned to defend him. A conspiracy soon brews from the case--with Dana as an unwitting pawn.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2002
14 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 15, 2018
Wow, can’t wait to read another of Susan’s books.
September 22, 2015
What an excellent book! This had me captivated from the first chapter and held me until the last full stop. Abortion is a very emotive subject and whilst the legal drama in this story was fascinating, the background of this extremely personal and female subject was well presented.
I found my loyalties strongly challenged throughout the story and the characterisation was brilliant.
An excellent read!
I found my loyalties strongly challenged throughout the story and the characterisation was brilliant.
An excellent read!
July 24, 2012
The discription given here is incorrect. Act Of God is about the boming of a health center that also does abortions. It is avery good courtroom drama with surprising twists.
October 28, 2016
Lov her books. Wish she wrote more. This was a reread
September 21, 2022
I found this courtroom drama fully engaging and was hooked by the characters and the situation. A hospital plus abortion clinic is blown up, killing over a hundred people, including newborn infants and a child daycare. The suspect on trial is the opposite of a typical terrorist, and there is plenty pf shoddy police work in the investigation due to pressure to find and punish the culprit. Told from multiple poiunts of view, the main character is the brilliant young attorney who represents him, and she is completely convinced of his innocence and dedicated to exonerating him. Is she wrong? Or have they charged the right man, despite all appearances? This book kept me up reading half the night, unable to put it down. I loved the book, but found the ending a little depressing - you'll have to read it to find out why.
September 8, 2017
Hill House is a community health center near Seattle that also provides abortions. It is bombed and almost 200 people are killed, many of them children and health care professionals. The accused is a religious, clean cut naval officer whose wife had an abortion without telling him, for which he is understandably upset.
This is a legal thriller like the best of John Grisham. It also gives a very good analysis of both sides of the abortion debate, as well as the nasty sides of politics when they use a case like this. There is a surprise ending you won't see coming that doesn't show up until the final 2 pages. My first book by Susan Sloan, but definitely not my last.
This is a legal thriller like the best of John Grisham. It also gives a very good analysis of both sides of the abortion debate, as well as the nasty sides of politics when they use a case like this. There is a surprise ending you won't see coming that doesn't show up until the final 2 pages. My first book by Susan Sloan, but definitely not my last.
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January 1, 2024I haven't read it in the last 12 months, in fact I have just picked it up again, so don't recall minute detail. I DO remember it being both enthralling and upsetting at the same time. A very gray area for all but handled well. Susan Sloan's books follow similar outrage and for each person can there be a coming to terms with the actions decided upon? I wish she was still 'churning them out' as I thoroughly get hooked :-).
January 24, 2024
An above average courtroom drama.
Dana McAuliffe is a junior partner in a Seattle law firm who is given the job of defending a young naval officer, Corey Latham, who is charged with bombing an abortion clinic. Ideologues on both sides of the abortion issue, however, have vested interests, and are working had, both publicly and behind the scenes, to secure their own desired outcomes of the case.
Dana McAuliffe is a junior partner in a Seattle law firm who is given the job of defending a young naval officer, Corey Latham, who is charged with bombing an abortion clinic. Ideologues on both sides of the abortion issue, however, have vested interests, and are working had, both publicly and behind the scenes, to secure their own desired outcomes of the case.
October 20, 2021
Average courtroom drama with simplistic writing and "flat" characters. No real surprises here as I had determined what probably happened about half way through the book. Dana was as dull as dish water and easily duped evidently. And Corey was nauseatingly nice. An easy read.
January 4, 2018
I devoured this book in a day, I couldn't put it down. I'm still thinking about the ending!
February 26, 2018
3.5 stars
May 11, 2018
Wonderful read......I think I could have finished it in a day had I not had other things to do.
October 4, 2020
4.5
All her books are just great. So sorry I have read all 4 and there are no more left.
The trial of a man accused of bombing a hospital that also does abortions.
All her books are just great. So sorry I have read all 4 and there are no more left.
The trial of a man accused of bombing a hospital that also does abortions.
November 10, 2020
Act of God
Good read. Great court room drama, well worth it. And why would a review request so many words. I don't think I will bother next time!!!
Good read. Great court room drama, well worth it. And why would a review request so many words. I don't think I will bother next time!!!
July 8, 2021
Very interesting read. Wow at the ending
July 27, 2017
Courtroom drama. A bit too many cliches, and not too special, it still was entertaining. I wouldn't recommend it, though. If you want to read a courtroom drama for entertainment, some of Grisham's books, to name an example, are more exciting.
November 17, 2017
Das Buch ist spannend geschrieben. Das Ende kam etwas abrupt, da hätte ich mir mehr Details gewünscht.
September 6, 2013
Wow - what an excellent book. This really isn't something I would have chosen myself, but it was sent to me free, so thought I'd give it a go. I'm really glad I did!
When a bomb goes off at a family clinic, killing over a hundred people, the whole crime becomes a worldwide debate focused almost entirely on the abortions that were performed there. When Dana is given the job of defending the man accused of it, she finds that it is herself that is being put on trial amongst the world's press. And if that wasn't enough, she begins to feel as if she isn't being filled in on the whole picture.
A fast, snappy read - no great surprises, but I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the way we kept hearing from the jurers as well as the lawyers, and how the story progressed along with the trial. Made me quite sad to think that the issue became bigger than the accused, but I guess that was what the author was trying to put across.
I'll definitely be tracking down the other books by this author.
When a bomb goes off at a family clinic, killing over a hundred people, the whole crime becomes a worldwide debate focused almost entirely on the abortions that were performed there. When Dana is given the job of defending the man accused of it, she finds that it is herself that is being put on trial amongst the world's press. And if that wasn't enough, she begins to feel as if she isn't being filled in on the whole picture.
A fast, snappy read - no great surprises, but I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the way we kept hearing from the jurers as well as the lawyers, and how the story progressed along with the trial. Made me quite sad to think that the issue became bigger than the accused, but I guess that was what the author was trying to put across.
I'll definitely be tracking down the other books by this author.
December 22, 2014
Susan R. Sloan wrote a suspenseful legal thriller that keeps the readers guessing. Attorney Dana McAuliffe reluctantly takes on the defense of a man accused of bombing a popular Seattle medical center where abortions are performed. The book presents varying opinions and ideas about the subject matter, offering moral and legal questions as the trial goes on. However, it should be noted that this book was not a soapbox for or against abortions. Both sides of the issue were presented with tact and thoughtfulness meanwhile touching upon the extremes people can go to for what they believe in. Conspiracy, deception, murder, and politics play a part in this thrilling novel as the story unfolds. Although the ending did not come as a surprise, it was still worth getting to in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Sloan’s style of writing, her ease with the subject matter and her avoidance of weighing the book down with technicalities.
November 9, 2015
Wow! Didn't expect this book to be so awesome....
I read mostly mysteries but fill in with an occasional legal thriller, romantic suspence, etc. This is the BEST legal thriler I have ever read. I know there are many out there but, of the one's I've read, this is tops.
Would highly recommend it.
I read mostly mysteries but fill in with an occasional legal thriller, romantic suspence, etc. This is the BEST legal thriler I have ever read. I know there are many out there but, of the one's I've read, this is tops.
Would highly recommend it.
July 3, 2007
great book!
August 25, 2007
Perfectly good suspense novel that (annoyingly) seemed to have a moral lesson towards the end.
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February 26, 2008Sloan, Susan R.
October 22, 2012
Again, a good beach read.
December 5, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was a very quick read, one where I hated to put the book down. The end was a true surprise. I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of their preferences.
July 27, 2015
Good Story ! Better ending!!
August 4, 2015
What a pager turner. I kept changing my mind as to his guilt or innocence right to the end.
January 23, 2016
It really does spur one's thinking on morality.
August 7, 2016
Well written, fast placed, great ending. Had me thinking about it for a while after reading.
November 27, 2013
Loved it! Could hardly put it down!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews