The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow

Young lawyer Parker House is on the rise—until his grandfather’s mysterious past puts both of their lives in danger.


Parker House’s secret inheritance is either his greatest blessing . . . or his deadliest curse. The fresh-faced North Carolina attorney shares his German grandfather’s uncanny ability to see future events in his mind’s eye—a gift that has haunted 82-year-old Frank House through decades of trying to erase a murderous wartime past.


While Parker navigates the intrigue and politics of small-town courtroom law, Frank is forced to face his darkest regrets. Then, a big career break for Parker collides with a new love he longs to nurture and the nightmares his grandfather can no longer escape. Sudden peril threatens to shatter not only Parker’s legal prospects but also his life and the lives of those dearest to him.


Two witnesses, two paths, an uncertain future. 

My review:

  I loved Robert Whitlow's earlier books. They were the stuff legal thrillers were made of. And then he seemed to back away from the thriller part and wrote several books I just couldn't get into. This book sounded more like his earlier books, so I requested it. It doesn't quite fall into the thriller category, though there are some suspenseful moments, but it was a great read anyway.

 This is one of those novels that takes place modern day, but jumps to the past several times. The past it jumps to is the past of a German Captain under Hitler's regime. I enjoyed the whole book, but found these glimpses into the past of a fictional German soldier fascinating, especially one who wasn't all for what was going on.

What I liked about the book:

Plot: excellent, especially with the blending of past and present.

Characters: Loved them, especially Parker and the relationship he had with his grandfather.

Setting: Great setting for both past and present.

Content: The people who are bothered by "preachy" books won't mind this one, though the author doesn't shy away from Christian topics and there is several scenes in a church.

Language: no issues.

What I didn't like about the book: Nothing.... loved it

   This is the best book, in my opinion, that Whitlow has written for several years. Though it didn't have a lot of suspense like his earlier novels did, there is still a large suspense factor throughout the book. I learned a little about law process, and learned a new term "dram shops" and what that entails. The book had a great ending, and I enjoyed the whole book far more than I expected to. 5 stars for sure.

I was given a copy of  this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:

Robert Whitlow grew up in north Georgia. He graduated magna cum laude from Furman University with a BA in history in 1976 and received his JD with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1979. A practicing attorney, he is a partner in a Charlotte, NC law firm. He and his wife Kathy have four children and three grandchildren.
Robert began writing in 1996. His novels are set in the South and include both legal suspense and interesting characterization. It is his desire to write stories that reveal some of the ways God interacts with people in realistic scenerios.


The Witnesses is available from Thomas Nelson Publishers

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for the review copy.