Directed Verdict

Rating:
Summary: Too Much Fun to be Legal!
Review: A novel this serious shouldn't be this much fun! Randy Singer offers a bright future for those of us who feel Grisham's latest legal thrillers have lost their sparkle.

"Directed Verdict" weighs in at 485 pages, but these pages turn quicker than most. A brash young trial lawyer finds himself defending Sarah Reed, a woman who lost her husband while they were working as missionaries in Saudia Arabia. Sarah's husband, already weakened by heart trouble, died due to interrogation by the Saudia Arabian secret police, and now she calls those responsible to account in the American courts. (This idea is timely, in light of recent suits by Americans affected by Sept. 11.)

The premise seems straightforward, but Singer introduces numerous complications, keeping our interest and keeping things racing along. Mixing the fast-paced, intricate plotting of original Grisham, the intriguing characters of Turow, and the humorous sprinkles of Meltzer, Singer creates a wonderful story. The courtroom maneuvers are masterful. The in-fighting and conniving are genuinely shrewd and nasty. The plot twists are believable. And, ultimately, the spiritual applications to our modern day world are noteworthy.

I hope Singer has more books coming, because I had a blast reading this one.

Rating:
Summary: Courtroom drama at its best
Review: An exciting book...great courtroom strategy..out of courtroom skulldugery...a great read...and without foul language and sex. So real it could have been based on fact.

Rating:
Summary: As good as Grisham's "Testament"
Review: Do we really need another John Grisham? Lovers of great fiction, especially legal thrillers, will say a resounding YES! And those who've read "Directed Verdict" will say,"Randy Singer is the new Grisham." This is a great read from page one. The settings are vivid. The characters and dialog are so real I can hear them. And, the story line, although growing out of the very real religious persecution in Saudia Arabia, is uplifting and heartening. You know a book is good when you think about it when you're not reading it, longing to get back to it...that's Directed Verdict. I loved it! Hey, Mr. Singer, when's book 2 coming out?

Rating:
Summary: Exciting!
Review: Due to the fact that I've heard Randy Singer preach a time or two at my home church, I was more than happy to hear that he had written a book. With possible aspirations of becoming a lawyer in the future, I was very excited to read this book and see what this very neat guy had to offer in literature.

I was not disappointed! Randy Singer spins a tale together that is so intriguing, you can't put it down. I've tried reading Grisham before. I thought it was okay. Other mysteries and legal books spark my interest somewhat. However, "Directed Verdict" captivated me (as well as several other people I know from church who have read the book), and I couldn't put it down until the end. There will be twists and turns all along the way that will make you wonder just what is coming next, who did what, and exactly how everything falls into place. If you are looking for a good story falling into the legal fiction category, I highly recommend "Directed Verdict."

Rating:
Summary: Exciting!
Review: Due to the fact that I've heard Randy Singer preach a time or two at my home church, I was more than happy to hear that he had written a book. With possible aspirations of becoming a lawyer in the future, I was very excited to read this book and see what this very neat guy had to offer in literature.

I was not disappointed! Randy Singer spins a tale together that is so intriguing, you can't put it down. I've tried reading Grisham before. I thought it was okay. Other mysteries and legal books spark my interest somewhat. However, "Directed Verdict" captivated me (as well as several other people I know from church who have read the book), and I couldn't put it down until the end. There will be twists and turns all along the way that will make you wonder just what is coming next, who did what, and exactly how everything falls into place. If you are looking for a good story falling into the legal fiction category, I highly recommend "Directed Verdict."

Rating:
Summary: What a page turner! A refreshingly real book
Review: Here's a book with perfect timing. It touches on many of the issues that are going on behind the scenes that the media is afraid to touch--but that are crucially important on the world scene.

Randy Singer presents issues of religious persecution, judges run amok, modern day courtship, and so many other things so plausibly. A great "Christian" book because not all the characters are Christian, nor do they necessarily become Christian. It's a real book, showing how Christianity impacts people in all different ways, and showing how our understanding of the importance of faith has such world wide consequences.

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down, I was so anxious to see what was going to happen. I agree it is like a Grisham novel, which I also enjoy. I certainly intend on reading his other books. Always great to find a good author!

Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: Immediately I found myself rooting for Sarah Reed. I enjoy the way that Brad Carson stands up to "Ichabod" while in the courtroom, but keeps the case on the line as well. This books shows how brutal The Muttawa can actually be, and how graceful and merciful our heavenly Father is. This book is a real page turner, with a good twist or two, and a very good pace to go with it! Amen, Mr. Singer! Keep it up!

Rating:
Summary: My verdict: A debut writer makes a direct impact.
Review: John Grisham has long been the king of legal thriller mountain. With his first book, "Directed Verdict", Randy Singer has climbed the heights with a quality suspense thriller not far behind some of Grisham's best. Like Grisham, Singer is a Christian, but the Christian content is far more explicit than one typically finds in a Grisham novel. Two American missionaries, Charles and Sarah Reed, suffer horrendous persecution at the hands of the religious police (the Muttawa) in Saudi Arabia. When Sarah returns to the US after the torture and death of her husband, she comes into contact with Brad Carson, a young lawyer who helps her file a civil rights suit against the Muttawa head (Ahmed Aberijan) and against the nation of Saudi Arabia. Helping Brad to fight for Sarah's cause are his long-term legal secretary Bella, his newly acquired helper Nikki, and a recently widowed law student, Leslie. But do they realize that they are seeking justice against powers that will stop at absolutely nothing to win this case?

The novel is divided into four sections. Part I, "Persecution", very cleverly juxtaposes the persecution of the Reeds in Saudi Arabia with the persecution of Christians in America who speak out against abortion. Part II "The Law" and Part III "Discovery" set the stage for Part IV, "The Trial", which makes up half the novel, and recounts the court case itself. There are lots of surprising twists and turns, leading up to a fast moving and satisfying conclusion (though arguably optimistic). Will the head of the opposing legal team, Mack Strobel, be successful in seeking a directed verdict in favour of the defendants (an extraordinary verdict in which the judge makes a ruling on the grounds that no reasonable jury could decide otherwise)? Which of Carson's own legal team is giving inside information to the other side? And will justice prevail?

Although the novel concerns the treatment of Christians, the Christian content itself is not overdone and does not dominate the novel or detract from the storyline as the case with some writers who become artificially "preachy". There is much reminiscent of the style of Grisham's most overtly "Christian" work, "The Testament", which also features a Christian protagonist. Singer's Arminian theology is evident in one place (p290-291) as part of a conversion story that seems somewhat artificial and forced, although it features some excellent application of courtroom imagery to salvation: "Sarah believed that her real accuser was Satan, that God was her Judge, and that Jesus Christ Himself was her Advocate. In the only courtroom that mattered, her Advocate had taken her place as the defendant and endured her punishment. As a result, the Judge of the universe had declared her not guilty." (p290). But on the whole the Christian content is in the background, and the focus is on the story itself. The suspenseful plot is combined with realistic characterization, because even the "good guys" have weaknesses, and the lawyers defending the cause of evil do have some moral standards. My final verdict: "Directed Verdict" is a good courtroom drama that's hard to put down, so I'll definitely be wanting to read more from this author! - GODLY GADFLY


Rating:
Summary: A Grisham style legal thriller, only deeper and better.
Review: Randy Singer has a style that is similar to John Grisham, with legal issues developed into in a novel. However, this book has more twists and turns, multiple plot lines, and tackles deeper issues than greed. The basic premise is about a woman who wants to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for the torture and death of her husband by their police. A lawyer and his new aid attempt to take on more than just a powerful government. This brings up international law issues, as well as issues of faith.

I found it hard to put the book down, and was racing to the end. The characters are well defined, although the antagonists are perhaps a bit one-dimensional. The best aspect of the book is the compelling storyline, and the plot twists that are unexpected and keep the reader guessing.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes legal thrillers and good novels that are fun escapes. Despite the fact that Randy Singer is not well known yet, with books as good as this one that deserves to change.