My book club chose Relative Justice by Robert Whitlow for its September discussion. My husband is as big a fan of Whitlow as I am, so we chose to listen to the audiobook on a road trip to Mississippi. It was the perfect length for our car ride, but we both thought it was just okay. Those were the sentiments of my book club as well. The book centers around a patent infringement of a pharmaceutical developed by a a natural medicines/herbalist. The suit has the potential to cost the pharmaceutical company big bucks. Plus there are some very shady/scary characters involved behind the scenes. If you are looking for a Grisham-esque novel, you will be disappointed. Yes, there is some suspense and danger. Yes, there is a bit of legal wrangling. But the book centers mainly on the family dynamics of the main characters. Prayer is also a big part of the book, which was a plus for me, since it showed how God uses the prayers of His people to accomplish the impossible. God is definitely at work behind the scenes. But being the huge fan of legal suspense/drama that I am, I would have liked more of that. Specific to the audiobook: The book is a little slow in developing. Listening, rather than reading, was a bit tedious.
All in all, Relative Justice is not my favorite of Whitlow’s books. It did give me some things to think about, but I wish it had been a little more adrenaline-laden, if you know what I mean. 😉
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
For the attorneys at Cobb and Cobb, the pursuit of justice is about more than legal expertise; it’s a family matter.
David Cobb is not a typical lawyer—he’s more interested in dispensing God’s wisdom than pertinent legal advice. High-stakes litigation is way outside his comfort zone.
For many years Zeke Caldwell has been concocting home remedies made from natural ingredients found in the coastal marshes near Wilmington, North Carolina. One of his remedies proved so effective that he patented it with the help of David’s father. Now he suspects a big drug company has stolen his formula. What he doesn’t know is that the theft has deeper, more evil roots.
When Zeke asks David to help fight the drug company, David knows the suit is beyond his expertise and experience. But his sister-in-law, Katelyn Cobb, is a rising star attorney in a prestigious Washington, DC, law firm. The courtroom is her second home. Could she help? Would she even consider it?
Life’s circumstances compel the lawyers to face, not only patent piracy, but personal obstacles and struggles that threaten to rip apart the fabric of the family. The fight for Zeke requires all the relatives to unite for justice.
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 nine 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 scenarios.
I just finished listening to Relative Justice performed by Matt Godfrey. I’m a big fan of Robert Whitlow’s novels and love how he weaves some characters’ Christian faith into the story line. While the book wasn’t as suspenseful as some readers may like, I enjoyed the development of the interpersonal relationships in the Cobb family and with Zeke, the herbalist. Listening for God’s direction, forgiving others, praying for one’s enemies are just some of the themes the author incorporates in the novel.
Those are definitely the strengths of this novel.
Sorry that it wasn’t quite as good as you were hoping it would be!
It was ok. Not bad, necessarily, but not stellar. I’m not sorry I read it!