Defender

by Bill Mesce Jr.

In the critically acclaimed novels "The Advocate" and "Officer of the Court," Bill Mesce Jr. introduced readers to a new hero in the world of military suspense. "The Defender" is the electrifying tale of Major Harry Voss's most riveting case a wartime court-martial that could cost an innocent man his life-and cover up another innocent man's murder. THE DEFENDER The case against Lieutenant Dominick Sisto is overwhelming. It's so overwhelming that Major Harry Voss hasn't been called in to prove him innocent-but to fight for a less severe sentence when the guilty verdict is read. Charged with disobeying a direct order from a commander, Sisto is accused of fleeing in the face of the enemy at a place called the Huertgen Forest. But the more Harry looks into the case, the more he suspects the official story is far from the real one. As Voss is raced to a secluded castle in Wiltz to defend Sisto, the war in Europe escalates and the Allied forces mount an offensive against the Nazis that will reach a climax in the Battle of the Bulge. Summoned personally by an old friend who will preside over the trial, Voss has a personal connection with the accused going back to the neighborhood where he watched the young lieutenant grow up. Still, determined as he is, Voss isn't sure he's the right man for the job. He hasn't defended a criminal case in years and he's up against an ambitious hotshot JAG prosecutor chosen by the brass to win at any cost. And that cost may well be justice, truth, and the lives of innocent men. For as Voss unravels what really happened on Hill 399, he discovers that Sisto was a hero, not a traitor, and that the one man who can prove it vanished in the blood and chaos of war. As the trial builds to a shattering climax, Harry is driven to visit the Belgian site where the drama unfolded-and it's there he must find evidence that he's not just walking the hallowed ground of a battlefield...but the scene of a crime. Evocative, tense, and relentlessly paced, The Defender is a superior military thriller that takes us to a place where loyalty turns into betrayal, allies turn into enemies, and comrades in arms can become cold-blooded killers. "From the Hardcover edition."

Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2003

About the author

Bill Mesce, Jr. is an award-winning author and playwright, as well as a screenwriter.

Reviews

[Juanita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: The Defender by Bill Mesce Jr.

The story was well-written and most of characters were described as military personal. The Defender is fast paced and a great military novel. I don’t know why I never heard about this author because he was very creative. The author was introducing a new heroic man to the world of military suspense in this story. Retired military lawyer, Major Harry Voss an elderly man who knew Lt. Sisko’s family was wise and hesitantly defending a man he thought he new.

This is a book about WWII and how an Officer was taken on the spot, from Huertgen Forest Hill #399 while battling the Germans. A commander, Captain Joyce charged Lt. Dominick Sisto with disobeying a direct order while in combat. Than Lt Sisto was sent to a castle in Wiltz and imprisoned until his war-time court martial was being authorized and set to happen after all information was collected and a lawyer for the Lieutenant was summoned. This is when Major Harry Voss told Lt Sisko that he didn’t feel confident enough to take his case. He had been retired for awhile now but Lt. Sisko was really aliment that he wanted him so the Major finally committed himself to the case.

Lt. Sisko kept stating he was innocent. The court martial was rushed and Voss finds himself running out of time. Voss becomes uncomfortable and frustration with both the over enthusiastic attitude of the prosecutor and the facts of the case. Bill Mesce did a great job with the scenes and dialogue throughout the entire court martial episode. He kept the action going by the way he used his characters in the case bickering and intolerable with strong interesting scenarios.

There’s plenty more events, adventure, and suspense to take it to the next level. I feel the likable Major Voss took over the story as a competent character and carried the mysterious effects to the end. I thought that the WWII scenes of the battle was interesting but I was entertained greatly with the court case…

[Cws]

A-Mes