Book reviews

Law of Gravity
Stephen Horn Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Stephen Horn Books
New book search
Stephen Horn Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Law of Gravity
"

Harper Collins, August 2002, 24.95, 336 pp.
ISBN 0060194413

Phillip Barkley was a whistle blower in a city that puts politics above truth so now he spends his days in the justice department in the Appellate Division writing briefs. After three hospitalizations after the death of his daughter and a job that is going nowhere, all Phillip wants to do is quit and open up his own law office in a small and quiet Oregon town.

His boss promises him a place in US Attorney's office in the Portland office if he will investigate the disappearance of Martin Greer. Martin is a senior staffer for the Intelligence Committee-headed by Warren Young, the party's candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Warren wants Young on the case because he's known as an honest man and he wants his office cleared of any charges if Martin turns out to be a spy. Although evidence points in that direction Phillip thinks there's another agenda going on and he's going to uncover it even if it costs him his new job, his sanity and even his life.

This is a thrill a minute chiller written by an author who has the same magic touch as John Grisham. The protagonist is a man struggling to pick up the pieces of his life after the death of his daughter and readers will have an immediate feeling of empathy for the man. His need to seek out the truth no matter who gets hurt is his most endearing quality- but one that gets him in trouble many times over. LAW OF GRAVITY is a fantastic crime thriller.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

"Alienated from society in the aftermath of family tragedy, the protagonist is summoned to investigate the death of an apparent government spy just before election. The trails brings him on to uncover at least two more apparent murders."
Anthie Zachariadou, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Law of Gravity
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - searching for missing person
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - government investigator - a lawyer creature
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - politician/elected ruler - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some - an average amount
Motive of antagonist - power
The antagonists are: - evil politicians
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast - Southeast
Europe Yes
European country: - Eastern Europe

Style
Person - mostly 1st - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths? - 3-4
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Law of Gravity
The Law of Betrayal by Tess Collins
Crime School by Carol O'Connell
Double Bluff by Michael A. Hawley
Dangerous Games by Michael Prescott
The Last Witnesss by K.J. Erickson


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Thriller/Action books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Big vehicle disaster?

Crime Thriller

Disaster, natural or nuclear

Exploring into the wild

Horror Story?

Legal Thriller

Medical Thriller

Religious overtones?

Spying/Terrorism Thriller

War Thriller

Water adventure

Western



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Funny Videos
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
George W. Bush 8:20:38 PM
Robert Segarra 1:49:56 PM
Karen Armstrong 10:51:40 AM
Slavomir Rawicz 6:40:45 PM
Anonymous 1:39:52 PM
Deric Longden 9:20:02 AM
Suzanne Weyn 6:24:19 PM
Colin Forbes 12:23:54 PM
John Christopher 5:12:45 AM
Tom Clancy 2:19:45 AM
Margaret Peterson Haddix 5:36:55 PM
Nikolai Tolstoy 7:46:16 AM
J.K. Rowling 11:40:22 PM
Jack Higgins 4:54:08 PM
Eloise Jarvis McGraw 12:51:17 PM
Jane Rubino 1:21:00 PM
Lori Wick 2:11:45 AM
Betty Mahmoody 5:57:33 PM
Patricia Cornwell 2:48:17 PM
Andrew Clements 9:13:44 PM

Silicon Valley
More message boards