When the Rules Don’t Apply

by Gerard Shirar

While growing up together in a Boston neighborhood, Timmy Flaherty and Donny Faye are as different as night and day. Timmy lives by the rules while Donny refuses to accept them. After the boys serve in Vietnam, Timmy earns a law degree, but Donny stays in the military—a decision that surprises everyone who knows him.

After Donny violates the army’s rules, he receives a dishonorable discharge and afterwards begins to work for Percy Dwyer, a notorious Boston crime boss. When Donny’s poor choices ultimately lead him to be charged with murder, he turns to his boyhood friend, Timmy, to defend him. Timmy is Initially reluctant to take on a murder case, but is cajoled into it by Donny. When evidence is discovered proving Donny’s guilt beyond a doubt, Timmy finds himself trapped between his obligation to a boyhood friendship, the morality of defending a murder and his oath to represent a client with fidelity. But what no one knows is that the case is about to take a surprising turn that will change everything.

In this legal thriller, boyhood friends are drawn together again as adults after one of them allegedly commits murder and asks the other to defend him.

Audible Audio

First published December 19, 2017

Reviews

[Darryl Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerard Shirar’s "When The Rules Don’t Apply" comes in two parts, the first a potted history of the life and times of one Donny Faye as pieced together by the story’s narrator, lawyer Tim Flaherty. The second part is Tim’s present day, first person account of events which take place after Donny’s arrest for murder. Tim and Donny had been childhood friends since kindergarten, best mates who watched each other’s back but they parted company after Tim returned from the Vietnam war. They had been drafted while the war was still raging. Tim went into the 1st Cavalry, was promoted to corporal after a year, then returned to the States after which he continued his studies and obtained a law degree. Donny, meanwhile remained in the army. Their paths weren’t to cross again for more than two decades. Their lives couldn’t have been more different. Tim was a law abiding attorney scratching a living doing small time Criminal work. Donny, who’d been a troublemaker as a child but who’d excelled in sports, was a loner who didn’t like playing by the rules. Two years after an event near the East German border in 1981, he is dishonourably discharged from the army and returns to South Boston where he embarks on a life of crime. When he is charged with several homicides, he convinces Tim to disregard his misgivings and the fact he has never defended a murder case, and take on his defence. Tim reluctantly agrees, but doesn’t realise the enormity of what is to come.

"When The Rules Don’t Apply" is an engaging story from beginning to end and, especially during the second part, I had no idea where I was being led. Like a snowball that gathers speed as it shoots downhill, the pace quickens somewhat towards the second half of part II. At this point, the novel is a real page turner. As a retired army officer and lawyer, Gerard Shirar certainly knows his stuff, something which is evident from the outset. That said, there are some areas where I had to suspend belief. In the first part there is a series of crimes, not one of which was solved by the police, who consistently throughout the story didn’t seem to have a clue. That part also seemed to be a series of separate incidents and I wonder whether the detail in which each crime was described was necessary for the story. An unnecessary distraction from what is otherwise an interesting tale is the number of typos and punctuation errors. It is not unusual for an author to make them, but they should be corrected during a professional edit. If an editor was engaged here, I’d be asking for my money back. Those points aside, "When The Rules Don’t Apply" is a real thriller, one that, with a little tidying up could be a riveting read.

[Moná · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some individuals who are truly troubled, usually from their childhood experiences growing up. Many try their best to justify every horrible action they’ve done in their life as a way to paint an image of being a good person, regardless of the unforgivable things they’ve done. Life doesn’t offer fairness yet many people feel they’re entitled to do unquestionable actions while people turn a blind eye. Fortunately, we have a sense of balancing the justice scales with something known to man as Karma. What you dish out in your life usually would be returned back to you, no matter what. Both good and bad ways of living your life exist it is only up to you which route you decide to take.

In “When The Rules Don’t Apply,” author Gerard Shirar lets his readers into the lives of two main characters, Timmy Flaherty and Donny Faye, two childhood friends who grew up in the same town and began with the same opportunity of joining the military. Of course, one would think they’ll consider taking the same routes, but instead, Timmy left the military to advance his life by going to law school, while Donny remained a militant. Different paths will always be the case because every individual will face their own inner battles. Now, Timmy is written in a positive light, as he’s needed by his lifetime friend to help him out of a legal issue. Since Donny faced a different life in comparison to his friend Timmy, he realizes this must be the way his life is to be. Legality versus loyalty is one thing all too familiar with reality when whatever choices you make establishes a path that becomes harder to walk away from.

The toughest thing coming from someone being a good person and wanting to remain that way is when can loyalty ruin the rest of your life. Even if you grew up with a close friend, knowing that you’re on the right side of the tracks won’t ever change, you only hope that your friend from the other side knows change is necessary for a better life. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about Donny’s character, there were a few times I wanted him to realize there’s more to life than what he’s living. I recommend this legal thriller because you’re in for a true plot twist towards the end.

[Topbookreviewers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This novel needs to be on the New York Times Best Sellers list. When Rules Don’t Apply, by Gerard Shirar, is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. Shirar introduces the reader to childhood friends, Timothy Flaherty and Donny Faye through the eyes of Timothy. The pair grows up in Boston. Timothy is a regular kid but Donny is known as a “bad apple”. After high school they go separate ways but they both end up in Vietnam in the ‘60’s. Timothy survives Vietnam and leaves with his life and a law degree. For Donny, life’s troubles start multiplying when he is stationed near the East German border. What transpires next for the first half of the novel is a journey of epic proportions and tells the tale of the next three decades of Donny’s exploits. This is where Shirar, the author, excels. He pulls the reader into the mind of a murderer. He has a way of articulating the murderer’s thought processes, judgements, ranting and ravings and lucid thoughts of justification for every action. I just had to keep flipping the pages.

I was lucky enough to review his first novel, The Girl Called Princess Charlotte, which I recommend you also read. He was talented writer then, but I am pleased that he is now a seasoned pro. He could go toe to toe with many of the popular thriller writers out there.

In the last half of the novel, Timothy is contacted by Donny a few decades later to defend him in a capital murder case that is very weak. A game of cat and mouse begins between the two because Timothy is being led down the rabbit hole of deception with his unrelenting desire to believe in his childhood friend. The question of who will survive the power struggle had me page-turning right to the end. When Rules Don’t Apply is a fantastic read and it would also be an entertaining movie, hint, hint. I am looking forward to the next one!" TBR-TopBookReviewers

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping Legal Drama...

Gerard Shirar’s When the Rules Don’t Apply is a total page-turner! Childhood pals Timmy Flaherty and Donny Faye couldn’t be more different—Timmy’s the straight-laced lawyer, while Donny’s the wild card diving headfirst into Boston’s shady underworld after a rough military stint. When Donny’s accused of murder and begs Timmy to defend him, you’re hooked on their messy, heartfelt reunion. Shirar nails the tension of friendship versus justice with characters you can’t help but root for.

The courtroom scenes? Pure gold—they’ll keep you glued to the page. Timmy’s stuck choosing between his best friend and doing what’s right, and it’s a wild ride. The ending wraps up a bit quick, but the story’s heart and fast pace make it a must-read for fans of legal thrillers with a side of loyalty drama. Fans of gritty, character-driven dramas will devour this exploration of fractured bonds and ethical dilemmas. Highly recommended.

[Jazz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. Well written in easy-to-read prose with plenty of dialogue.