A Grateful Nation

Public Defender Noah Shane receives a mysterious package from Veterans Affairs psychiatrist Dr. David Samson, who ministers to 28 exceedingly violent Vietnam veterans at a hospital compound in the remote jungle of the Big Island of Hawaii. Using unorthodox treatment, the doctor has recently achieved a breakthrough but, when one vet kills another, he is charged with complicity in the murder, and asks Noah to defend him. Though puzzled about this jungle doctor selecting an ordinary public defender as his defense lawyer, Noah decides that a brief adventure might help ease a growing case of PD burnout. He has no way of knowing that this foray will turn out to be much more. Investigation discloses that the charges have been manufactured by Dr. Samson's superior, who masterminded a plot to cover up unspeakable biological experiments with support from shadowy figures as far up the chain of command as the Pentagon. As the criminal case against Dr. Samson unfolds simultaneously with a makeshift court-martial at the isolated "Heart of Darkness" jungle compound, the sinister project that has been hidden with these forsaken bush vets for 40 years is revealed. Staggered by shocking discoveries about his history in the course of the proceedings, Noah struggles with the strength of his own character as it is profoundly challenged in the explosive climax. "In his outstanding debut novel, Ivan Weinberg serves up a legal thriller unlike any I've ever read before. He combines his intricate knowledge of the law, gained from over 30 years practicing at the bar, with a thrilling look at combat-stressed veterans living in self-imposed exile on the lush island of Hawaii. Ivan gives us a rare blend of action and legal intrigue in this courtroom drama about a bizarre military experiment gone horribly wrong. It will stick with you long after you've turned the last page." -- STEPHEN J. CANNELL, television writer, director and producer, and best selling author. "A fast-paced legal thriller, with courtroom scenes that ring true." -- Reviewing the Evidence