Gaviota

By Erik O'Dowd

On the central coast of California during World War II-

-A Japanese submarine attacks California's fuel supply, firing shells from its deck gun at oil storage tanks along the Gaviota coast. When the submarine later runs aground and is salvaged by U.S. Navy divers, they find a top-secret U.S. War Department Report detailing America's shoreline fortifications.

-A young lawyer who had successfully defended Japanese-Americans from prosecution is found dead only days after discovering the cause of mysterious explosions that destroyed two cliff-mounted U.S. gunsites.

In Los Angeles, fifty years later-

-The powerful Northridge earthquake strikes the San Fernando Valley, causing extensive damage to the freeway system. Two weeks later, an arsonist sets fire to a commercial warehouse, and the innocent Latino youth who is charged with the crime goes on trial for his life.

-Paul "Pike" Seger, prominent trial lawyer, is nominated to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, but a blackmailer demands that he refuse the post, threatening to expose a sealed indictment charging his father with an infamous crime.

Pike's search for the truth about his father, spanning five decades of interwoven events, culminates in his solving three murders and uncovering a wartime conspiracy to appropriate America's most valuable property for private gain. Gaviota-in equal parts historical novel, courtroom thriller and murder mystery-is at its heart a quest for redemption by a guilt-tormented man whose deepest yearning is for inner peace.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0595410391
• ISBN13: 9780595410392
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 456 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Very intricate, interesting plot-line.

Lots to like here. An interesting story involving big developers, World War II, the incarceration of Japanese families after Pearl Harbor, and very realistic and entertaining courtroom action involving believable characters fighting each other for money, power, and notoriety. You know, the usual stuff of everyday living. I especially liked the use of legal arguments and explanations of how attorneys work in real life. Highly recommended. Could be a great movie script.

Couldn't put it down

This is a real page turner. As I got into the story line, getting back to the book kept getting higher on my priority list. Watch out John Grissom.