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Dead Man's Rule (Ben Corbin Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Rick Acker (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 115 ratings
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Chicago lawyer Ben Corbin has just launched his private practice when Dr. Mikhail Ivanovsky, a mysterious Russian scientist, hires him to sue for possession of a safe deposit box. But when the box’s owner enlists the city’s highest-powered lawyer—and then turns up dead—the Russian confesses: inside the box is an old Soviet biowarfare formula for the deadliest disease known to humankind.

To make matters worse, a technicality called the Dead Man’s Rule now forbids the scientist from taking the stand. With no one to testify—and therefore no evidence—the odds against Ben seem insurmountable.

As the threat of a massive bioterrorist attack looms large, Ben and his team race to rebuild their case and rescue the box. To succeed, he’ll need all his wits and resources and Dr. Ivanovsky’s specialized knowledge—and both men will need to trust in a higher power.

Revised edition: This edition of Dead Man's Rule includes editorial revisions.

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Ben Corbin
  2. Print length
    368 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Waterfall Press
  6. Publication date
    June 28, 2016
  7. File size
    1853 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The Dead Man's Rule "bars one party of an oral contract from testifying about the agreement if the other party is dead." This legal oddity catches Chicago lawyer Ben Corbin off balance when he sues for possession of a safe-deposit box on behalf of a nervous Russian scientist, and the man he's suing suddenly dies. The case grows in importance when the old scientist at last discloses what's in the box: a virus designed for bioterrorism. Now Ben has to win, but how can he when the party who knows the truth cannot testify? Dead Man's Rule won't challenge James Scott Bell for legal-thriller primacy in the Christian fiction arena, but Ben is a likable protagonist, and Acker's knowledge of the law is impressive.

John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Named a Book of the Year finalist by Foreword Magazine

“TOP PICK!…Acker whips up a winner with appealing characters and a plot wound as tight as a ticking bomb. The high stakes strike to the heart of today's fears. Action in and out of the courtroom tops off this exceptional read.” —RT Book Reviews

“Chilling! This work takes you into the world of the past, present, and possible future, seeping with espionage, deadly secrets, germ warfare, all mingled together for one exciting ride. Fast paced, brimming with mystery and suspense, this is surely a read you will not be able to put down. A real page turner.” —Midwest Book Review

“Move over, John Grisham! In Dead Man's Rule, Rick Acker takes readers of legal thrillers into a world of legal technicalities, international terrorism, and biological weapons…Acker writes in a straight-forward style that compels the reader to read just one more chapter—again and again…Acker foreshadows with skill and unwinds the story artfully all the way to a powerful climax.” —Christian Book Previews

“Dead Man's Rule…delivers the gripping tale of Dr. Mikhail Ivanovsky, an eccentric Russian scientist who is trying to prevent the spread of a lethal ‘Ebolapox’ virus. The virus could wipe out entire cities within days and spread across a nation before the populace knew what hit them…It's a legal thriller with all the trimmings—courtroom drama, murder, near-death experiences, shocking discoveries, and gripping story lines…Acker tells a good, strong story with excellent use of some devices that make fiction fun and effective…compelling and powerful.” —Randall Murphree, AFA Journal

“[A] fast-paced book with subtle references to faith and doing what is right…This would be a good addition for those readers who shy away from traditional Christian fiction as too ‘preachy.’ I liked the book very much.” —Church and Synagogue Library Association

“I’ve read a lot of thrillers, and this one was truly excellent. It's a nice blend of Grisham and early Clancy—a legal thriller with bullets. The courtroom scenes are compelling without getting into tedious legal detail, and the fight scenes have plenty of zip. As a novelist myself, I had to admire Acker's use of the written word. He really does a terrific job of creating a strong storyworld (the Chicago legal scene and Russian mafiya) with solid characters (loved the Russian ex-FBI agent) and a plot that moves. I don't often read a book a second time, but I'm rereading this one. I give this book an A+, which is rare in my grade-book.” —Randy Ingermanson, physicist and Christy Award–winning novelist

“The author paints an elegant fiction that is quite close to reality.” —Nwadiuto Esiobu, PhD, professor of microbiology and federally-funded bioterrorism countermeasures researcher, Florida Atlantic University

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01946V7ES
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Waterfall Press (June 28, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 28, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1853 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 115 ratings

About the author

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Rick Acker

Rick Acker

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Rick Acker writes novels during his commute to and from his "real job" as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice. His unit prosecutes corporate fraud lawsuits of the type described in the #1 bestseller, WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES, which award-winning author Colleen Coble describes as "a legal thriller you won't want to miss!"

Rick has led investigations and lawsuits that made headlines in and out of California. Most recently, he and his team won a string record-breaking judgments and settlements against the Wall Street players who created the toxic mortgage securities that triggered the Great Recession. Before joining DOJ, Rick was a senior litigator at Bingham McCutchen, where he worked on high stakes litigation, including a fight between two owners of the San Francisco Forty-Niners and a multibilllion dollar international fraud case. Rick has law degrees from the University of Oslo and the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with honors. In addition to his novels, he is a contributing author on two legal treatises published by the American Bar Association.

When Rick isn't writing or lawyering, you can usually find him with his wife, Anette, and their four children. They'll be exploring in the hills east of San Francisco, watching a good movie together, or, of course, reading. You can visit him on the web at www.rickacker.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
115 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Melissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable legal suspense thriller--4 1/2 stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2008
Verified Purchase
25 years ago,Nuclear war was THE threat. Today it's become generally accepted that no civilized country would unleash a nuclear weapon. Now the threat has become the possibility of biological weapons in the hands of terrorist. I've read several books that explore this theme and each time, I walk away with a renewed belief that evil people will do evil things, but God is in control.

Lawyer Ben Corbin is hired by Dr. Ivanosky to help acquire the contents of a safety deposit box belonging to a dead Russian spy. When Ben agrees to take the case, he has no idea what is inside the box or why it is so vitally important that they win. As information emerges about the contents, Ben understands the necessity for the box to fall into the right hands. However, winning the case seems impossible when the defendant dies and the testimony of Dr. Ivanosky can no longer be used. What will happen if the box lands in the hands of terrorists?

Dead Man's Rule has some nice surprises, but the overall plot is pretty predictable. While there's the legal drama surrounding the box, it seemed obvious what the outcome would be. The suspense was more in how they got to the destination. However, this book is rich with characters, many of which are very surprising.

The threat of biological weapons is scary. It doesn't take a genius to know there are people who would use them if they had them. Remembering God is in control is what keeps books like Dead Man's Rule from causing many sleepless nights. Towards the end, there is a very poignant scene between Ben and Dr. Ivanosky, which serves as a good reminder for all of us who try to direct our paths too much. Sometimes trusting God is our best option.

Books like Dead Man's Rule are not always comfortable to read, however, they serve as a good reminder of the evil in this world and the good in Christ. Evil will always be with us and sometimes people will wield that evil in violent deadly ways. However, we know God has won the war and we must not coward in fear.
4 people found this helpful
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Harry Hix
4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2017
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First book I have read by Rick Acker, but it won't be the last. This book was interesting and intriguing. I enjoyed reading it and am now reading the second in the series.
3 people found this helpful
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IfOnlyICouldReadAllDay
5.0 out of 5 stars Scary but thrilling
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Verified Purchase
A really good book. I'm glad I had access to both the audio and Kindle versions. The narrator was quite good and there were quite a few parts that I would have preferred to listen to, rather than read. It was like reading the script of an action movie in parts. Great for listening, not so great for reading.

This book had more overtly Christian themes and discourse than the other book I read by this author ("Death in the Mind's Eye") but if you are a Christian (like I am) who enjoys a good legal thriller (like I do), then I highly recommend this author and this book. On to the next!
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, Scary, Could Happen
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
Others have summarized the book; no need for me to do so as well. Characters are realistic (good guys, bad guys, really bad guys, lawyers, FBI, etc.). Very well written and edited. Lots of unexpected twists and turns - kept me up late reading to the finish. Nothing left hanging, and no Deus ex Machina surprises. 

The first book by this author that I’ve read, and I intend to read a lot more.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Bioweapons
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2017
The subject matter of this book is frightening in the fact that it is possible if not probable. I thank God that He is in control and has played as nd for us all.
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Jennifer Gilreath
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2017
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This author is one I had not read before. The characters were interesting and the story line was great. The book keeps you interested until the last page. The best thing about this book is a great mystery is told without using vulgar language. I am hooked on these books and I am able looking for another one.
3 people found this helpful
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Lynnisa Elkins
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2016
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Rick Acker's "Dead Man's Rule" was an exciting, terrifying page-turner. It's also timely considering all the plots and threats against society. Glad it was republished and available again. Everyone should read it this time.
One person found this helpful
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Barbara J. Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded Expectations!
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2010
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Rick Acker is one of my new authors at Abingdon Press. I knew his upcoming release WHEN THE DEVIL WHISTLES (Fall 2010) was a fast-paced thriller, so I decided to read DEAD MAN'S RULE originally published by Kregal. It exceeded my expectations! Rick is an attorney who works for the DOJ and delivers fiction that rivals John Grisham. If you love legal thrillers, Rick Acker delivers every time.
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