In the Name of Honor by Richard North Patterson

From Goodreads: Home from Iraq, a lieutenant kills his commanding officer—was it self-defense or premeditated murder? An enthralling novel of suspense about the high cost of war and secrets

The McCarrans and the Gallaghers, two military families, have been close for decades, ever since Anthony McCarran—now one of the army's most distinguished generals—became best friends with Jack Gallagher, a fellow West Pointer who was later killed in Vietnam. Now a new generation of soldiers faces combat, and Lt. Brian McCarran, the general's son, has returned from a harrowing tour in Iraq. Traumatized by wartime experiences he will not reveal, Brian depends on his lifelong friendship with Kate Gallagher, Jack's daughter, who is married to Brian's commanding officer in Iraq, Capt. Joe D'Abruzzo. But since coming home, D'Abruzzo also seems changed by the experiences he and Brian shared—he's become secretive and remote.

Tragedy strikes when Brian shoots and kills D'Abruzzo on their army post in Virginia. Brian pleads self-defense, claiming that D'Abruzzo, a black-belt martial artist, came to his quarters, accused him of interfering with his marriage, and attacked him. Kate supports Brian and says that her husband had become violent and abusive. But Brian and Kate have secrets of their own, and now Capt. Paul Terry, one of the army's most accomplished young lawyers, will defend Brian in a high-profile court-martial. Terry's co-counsel is Meg McCarran, Brian's sister, a brilliant and beautiful attorney who insists on leaving her practice in San Francisco to help save her brother. Before the case is over, Terry will become deeply entwined with Meg and the McCarrans—and learn that families, like war, can break the sturdiest of souls.


This one was kind of interesting. The topic of PTSD is certainly timely, more and more of our service members are plagued with mental health issues when they return from combat. The murder mystery was not riveting so the numerous repetitions needed throughout the story got tiresome. Patterson did a great job nailing the characters, I may not have liked them all but they were certainly people I recognized and could relate to. There was a potential "big twist" and I was ready to listen through the murder scenario a thousand times to have my suspicions either confirmed or denied! That part had me hooked. My final thought is that the narrator was a little tough to get used to - I never really warmed up to his voice but I did get used to it so that it didn't bother me as much as the book went on (weak praise at best, I know!).