This is a well written but typical novel of foreign intrigue and revenge as the protagonist, a former district attorney, finds his son accused of a murder he did not commit. Woven around characters from the middle east, the story maintains tension and interest throughout with a few misdirections while staying mostly on track. I would rate it a good beach book in the line with other well known fiction writers. ( )

Another change from my normal reading choices - I really did not like the main character of this novel,but overall it was a fun read. ( )

Police, politics, attorneys, terrorists, ruthless murderers, and money.....lots of money. Put all of these together and you get a complicated, "shady" case of who done it. Had Matt really killed his girlfriend or was he framed?

The characters are intense, wealthy, and quite interesting. They range from police detectives to wealthy attorneys and from spoiled, rich children and wives to house help....some who really shouldn't be trusted. Each character has his or her own unique characterization and connections. The reader will get a glimpse into corruption in investigations and the alarming happenings that occur inside and outside of the courtroom when trying to prove an accused person is innocent. This may include "eliminating" some of the suspects or folks that would have been able to testify.

Matt, the accused, was sequestered in his mother and step-father's home on at 500K bail for the murder of his girlfriend who he was going to marry in a few months. Matt denies the charge, but the evidence whether honest or contrived kept mounting and evidence tampering by skilled people couldn't be proven.

The book takes you from New York to Syria showing how intelligence operations and conspiracy works. If you enjoy police investigations, criminal happenings, devious characters, and just plain intrigue, this is a book you won’t want to miss. It gets a little confusing at times, but the intrigue and plot are excellent and keep you interested. There are a few surprises as well. It is an easy, good read that you can also learn from with respect to international contact and police investigations. 4/5 ( )

You’re a tough guy, Matt, a stoic, but you’ve got a lot of friends.” – Jade Lee

Manhattan prosecutor Matt DeMarco is going to need every ounce of his toughness and every one of his friends to get through the nightmare he finds himself plunged into in Gods and Fathers, the latest thriller from author James LePore.

The failure of his marriage sixteen years ago bothers Matt, but what really kills him is the wedge that was driven between him and his now twenty-two-year-old son, Michael, when Matt’s ex-wife married an extremely wealthy Syrian businessman who showered Michael with anything his heart desired. Reduced to seeing Michael on the odd weekend here and there, Matt finds his son to be both a stranger and a disappointment. But when Michael is arrested for the rape and murder of his girlfriend, Matt’s fatherly instincts kick into high gear. His son may be a disagreeable, spoiled punk, but he’s no rapist or murderer. Matt’s sure of it, and will stop at nothing to prove it.

When people close to the case, both investigators and witnesses, start getting killed Matt realizes there are forces at work that go far beyond his son’s arrest, forces that are as determined to remain in the shadows as Matt is to drag them into the light. Now Matt’s racing to uncover the truth and exonerate his son while trying to stay one step ahead – and out of the crosshairs – of an alphabet soup of government agencies including the NYPD, FBI, CIA, UN, and SMI (Syrian Military Intelligence).

Author James LePore has quickly risen to the top of my list of “go to” authors when it comes to thrillers with an international flair. It takes a sure hand to incorporate potentially incendiary topics like US/Middle East politics and the internal conflict between progressive and orthodox Muslims into a novel without becoming sensationalistic, yet LePore pulls off such feats as a matter of course in his writing. Similarly, in effort to be clever many authors end up concocting plots that are needlessly byzantine and head-scratchingly convoluted. LePore, on the other hand, knows how to strike the perfect balance between complicated and compelling without making the reader resort to a scorecard to keep up.

As in previous novels, LePore once again excels in Gods and Fathers at creating realistically flawed and believable characters, ones who don’t always make the best decisions and for whom a happy ending isn’t guaranteed. Indeed, Gods and Fathers makes a strong argument that in today’s complicated and dangerous world it’s often necessary to get down and dirty to claim the high ground, but also explores the notion that even if you win a piece of yourself will be lost in the process. ( )

GODS AND FATHERS BY JAMES LePORE
Published by The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880297
ISBN-13: 978-1611880298
At the request of The Story Plant, an ARC EBook Edition was provided, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from publisher): Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

My Thoughts and Opinion: To be completely honest in reviewing this book, I feel I should start with a caveat. I don't usually read novels that have espionage, government intelligence and/or spy plots. And from reading the synopsis, I did not think that this book held those elements. However, as I was caught up in the story, and then when international terrorism was introduced into the story line, I didn't know if this was going to be a good book match for me. Another factor was the many different agencies and the long list of characters. This novel was definitely out of my comfort zone.

But I had already been pulled in right from the start of this book.. How could a young man be accused of murder and rape of his girlfriend and facing the death penalty have anything to do with international relationships of terror? And why are those that are investigating or close to this case being killed? How is this all tied together? As I said, the characters are many, but through Mr. LePore's writing style, he reminds the reader as to who the character is and/or the agency he/she works for. Because the characters are all flawed in some way, it was had to determine who could be trusted. Who were the good guys? Who were the bad guys? How was the plot all tied together? That's why I had to keep turning the pages!!. With an ending that I never saw coming!!!!

Even though this was a book outside of my comfort zone, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would have missed out on an exceptional read had it not been for a requested review. Mr LePore, with his excellent detailed writing ability, whereas I could create vivid imagery, and his masterful story telling, has transformed my thinking on espionage novels. Well, at least his. Kudos Mr. LePore!!

My Rating: 4 ( )