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Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
God Knows No Heroes by Norman Shabel is a gripping, murder mystery/courtroom drama that will appeal to all aficionados of crime or true crime stories. Set in tiny Summit County, disgraced former prosecutor Joshua Ryan is hired to defend a well-respected and loved local rabbi, Carl Rubin, accused of murdering his wife of twenty-five years. Ryan must go up against his former boss, the slippery and cunning County Prosecutor Roger Leary, son of a former feared State Senator. Not only is Leary corrupt but it seems he has most of the county’s law enforcement agencies and trial judges in his pocket. Leary’s appointment as the prosecutor is ending, and with a governor who despises him, he knows he needs to win a big, high-profile case to ensure public opinion will force the state to renew his tenure. Prosecuting a capital case with such a well-known religious figure is just what he needs and he will do whatever it takes to ensure a conviction.
God Knows No Heroes is a pulsating story that will sweep readers from quiet Summit County to the dangerous streets of Israel and involve the highest echelons of Israeli politics and intelligence. Author Norman Shabel has created the perfect character in Joshua Ryan, a former high-flyer in the legal world who has almost been crippled by his poor decisions and fall from grace. Ryan needs this case to re-establish his credentials in the legal fraternity and the human race. The highlight for me is the courtroom drama, where, with every odd seemingly stacked against him, Ryan has to battle to potentially save a man from the death penalty or at least the rest of his life behind bars. It was stunning to witness the extreme arrogance of the prosecutor as he openly instructed the judge on what to do in his own courtroom. The fact that it didn’t matter to Leary that he would undoubtedly lose on appeal, he needed the win here in this court to cement his legacy and continue his employment as County Prosecutor, was evident throughout. The story arc that took place in Israel was exciting, and fast-paced, and gave the plot depth and breadth that lifted it out of the ordinary murder mystery tale. I appreciated the overarching theme of Ryan’s tale: that nobody is beyond redemption and that mistakes of the past need not dictate or determine success professionally and personally in the future. This was an enthralling read that twisted and turned relentlessly. I highly recommend it.