Three weeks after his twenty-third birthday, Ethan missed the chance to save his brother’s life when he was murdered on the steps of the courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida. Ever since that fateful day, Ethan has sensed a deep disconnect between the man he should have been and the one he has become. His days play out a beat too slow, his mind replaying the scene of his failure again and again.But … again.But when his brother’s widow appears, asking for his help in uncovering what was really behind his brother’s death, Ethan is stunned to hear that she and her late husband were involved in a much larger case than he knew–one that threatens the global power structure. As Ethan joins the search for answers, he will enter into his own past–and discover a means of redeeming his future.Bestselling and award-winning author Davis Bunn invites you into a world of intrigue as a man held captive by his failure learns how to move forward with hope.
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How many times have any of us just wanted to go back in time and have a do over? To do something we should have done, or not do something we should not have done? To have regrets is part of human life and this story gives one man a chance to go back and fix his. Ethan is dying of cancer and he is alone. He looks back on his life and sees that for the most part it is an empty shell of what it could have been. If he would only have chosen differently.
Add a little bit of science fiction and Ethan has just that chance. Of course with a certainty of his death, he chooses to do just that. He is gifted with going back in time to undo and change certain outcomes that not only tore his life apart but that of his sister-in-law and others as well. Ethan gets a do over with a bonus. He gets to bring with him the wisdom he has gained as he lived his life. What a precious gift.
Not only was this a thought provoking novel, but it also has a mystery tied up into it as well. Especially as he seeks to find out who killed his brother and why his brother was murdered in the first place.
With hints of A Christmas Carol and the Prodigal Son, I enjoyed this out of the box novel. There were some really good nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout and I really took them to heart. So for me, I hope that I choose not to make the regrets, and to think more before I speak and act. This one was bittersweet.
I was provided a copy by Revell Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
Perhaps not overtly so, but “Burden of Proof” by Davis Bunn is an apropos book for 2020, right down to the title. This year I have read several works within the speculative fiction genre, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them because I am much more of a historical fiction devotee. In a sense, however, Davis Bunn’s novel also falls within the dual-timeline category, and it is a legal thriller too. Such a formidable combination of genres promises a high yield and begs the question of whether or not they all blend well and complement each other.
Speaking generally, “Burden of Proof” falls in the middle of the spectrum as far as my personal ratings are concerned. There are parts of the story that I enjoyed, but also loose ends and some questions that I would have liked to have seen answered. I also have concerns about the implication that Adrian’s life is worth more than Ethan’s, taken from the opening chapters of the story; a life-limiting disease resulting in a poor prognosis, combined with the fact that the individual has no living relatives, leads to a decision that could change the future and the past. I will refrain from elaborating so as to avoid spoilers, but this realization of human worth greatly discomfited me. Along with this, there is no mention of Christianity in the book; given that it is marketed as Christian, I believe that it should be held to that standard, and while the story is clean, the focus is given to weaving the present with the outspoken past rather than in spiritual growth.
Time travel forms the crucial event in this story. Despite being so over-done as a theme, Bunn gives it a unique twist here, fictionally broadening its potential use. This brings in the Butterfly Effect, as found in any time travel scenario, as well as the Grandfather Paradox and, as one of the characters explains, the theory of quantum entanglement. Due in part to all of the unknowns, the bonds of family and friends become especially important. As what was thought to be an isolated incident grows into a full-blown conspiracy theory, Ethan and his brother Adrian fund themselves caught up in “the thrill of facing the impossible” for what may be the last time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.
He has one chance to make it right…
I’ve been a fan of Davis Bunn since he first teemed up with Janette Oke back when I was a tween. I’ve read quite a few of his books since, crossing genres, and even under a couple of different names, but I think Burden Of Proof is one of my favorites.
Despite the fact that it’s a bittersweet story, something I’m not usually a fan of, it was so emotionally moving and thought-provoking that I couldn’t help but like it. I wound up finishing it much faster than I initially anticipated because I just couldn’t put it down.
I found the ‘what if’ questions that Burden Of Proof raises to be quite fascinating. What would YOU do if you had the chance to go back into your past with the knowledge you have now and change things? Would you fix relationships? Would you use your knowledge/experience to help people? Would you do the right thing no matter the cost? Davis Bunn also kinda gave me the chills wondering how far we really are from certain technological advances and whether the ends justify the means
Part suspense, part courtroom drama, and part sci-fic Burden Of Proof is a story that will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat. And it’s a Davis Bunn book that I would definitely recommend to fans of any or all of those genres…
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
The one thing he needs is a second chance. But it’s the one thing he can never get-or so he thinks. What if we could go back in time and reverse a tragic event, that is what is at stake for Ethan Barrett, in Burden of Proof. Ethan is faced with the chance of restoring what was lost, what was taken years earlier. At what cost? As he enters his own past, will he discover a means to redeem the future.
Although a futuristic story, it had me wondering, what if we had the opportunity to correct past wrongs? The story was slow to start, but by the end it left me intrigued.
I received a copy of the book from Revell in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions are my own.
Burden of Proof
By Davis Bunn
Ethan’s life has been a course of missed chances. Now that he has the chance to look back upon it he has regrets, regrets that have just added one upon the other. His biggest regret, his brother’s murder, and the anger between them that was never resolved before Adrian was stolen out of his life forever. Now Ethan has been given a chance to undo the past, but there is a catch. Saving the past for his brother will cost Ethan his future.
Burden of Proof has an intriguing premise one that most people would most likely be at least tempted by. Do you have regrets? Is there one incident in the past that you would undo if you could? If you could stop a loved one from making a choice that would destroy their life would you? And how would this change affect the world? I have to say I really enjoy books that make one think about what if. What if I could change the decision I made that put me on a specific life path. Would I seize the opportunity or would I rather live with the regrets I know?
I will say the first couple chapters, to me, seemed to drag as we are introduced to Ethan in his “now” life, which is for the most part is a sad reflection on a life that never reached its full potential. This reflection sets us up for the choice Ethan’s sister-in-law offers him – give up his future for the chance to stop Adrian’s murder. He just needs to remember as he displaces his younger self.
The majority of this book takes place in Florida, so I really liked taking a trip back to Jacksonville, a place that I was familiar with as a kid as I lived near there. Occasionally we took a trip into the big city and this literary visit reminded me of memories that included my grandparents and my dad. But it was fun reading a book in which I was actually familiar with the locale.
Overall I really enjoyed this book especially after Ethan made his transit to the past. It was interesting to see how the characters changed due to the change that Ethan’s new perspective had on how he was living. That is the one thing I like with the various works that Davis Bunn puts forth one never feels as if it is all cookie-cutter cutouts that have been redecorated but rather a whole new recipe that is never to be repeated and therefore not to be missed when the opportunity to sample it is presented. Don’t miss out on this newest literary delight that has a twist of the speculative thrown into a mystery.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
I could not put this book down. I loved the use of time travel though it is different how this story ends. The characters all learn some very nice lessons. I love that Ethan is willing to help his brother by doing something no one else had ever done. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Um, well, that is not what I signed up for, literally.
I don’t even know what I expected this to be about any more, all thoughts I had on “Burden of Proof” by Davis Bunn are gone and I am left wondering what on earth the book was.
It was a thrilling read, yes.
For me?
Not really.
I don’t tend to do time travel books, however, the lesson that Bunn would be perfect … Were there elements of faith or if the characters knew Jesus and had faith. But there was no faith or Biblical content.
The character, Ethan, is not really one that I liked at first, not surprising since it is supposed to be that way, and the growth he had was great, I ended up feeling bad that the story ended the way it did since there were no mentions of faith.
I don’t really think I will be reading another of Davis Bunn’s books since they don’t seem to be something that I enjoy.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Ethan is dying from a rare condition caused by melanoma skin cancer invading the lining around his heart and lungs. Soon, he will face death and he will face it alone. And then, his sister-in-law visits with a niece he never knew about, and Ethan is offered a chance to relive and undo many of the mistakes he has made. Ethan can save his brother’s life, reunite with the love of his life, and finally live a productive and unselfish life. As he begins a do-over, Ethan realizes that the way we treat others determines our eternity. I especially love this observation from Ethan’s one-time surfing idol: “The answer, brother, is to aim for the eternal. Long as you do that, you’re good to go. Even if you miss your target, even if you fall flat on your face, you know you’ve given it your best. You know. Because it’s not for you.”
Burden of Proof is a legal thriller that centers around a murder case that could have everlasting affects and a negative global impact but it is also an intense study of human nature. I absolutely loved this story of regrets, second-chances, and redemption. In the end, Ethan finally understands that he is a prodigal son, allowed to return home and welcomed with open arms!
Burden of Proof isn’t overtly religious but it is certainly a clean and inspiring read. Author Davis Bunn reminds us that our life should be lived so that we don’t face its end regretting what we did or didn’t do. I was captivated by Bunn’s creativity and I often found myself going back to re-read parts of his story again. This is a book that I gladly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from Revell. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my honest opinions.
Davis Bunn knows how to write a captivating novel that intrigues the mind as it entertains the reader. His newest offering doesn’t disappoint. The opening had me wondering where the story was going, but soon the book grabbed my full attention, and I finished the suspenseful tale in a single day. Part dual timeline, part mystery, and part legal thriller with some psychological and speculative elements thrown in, it could be described as John Grisham meets James Rubart. I loved to watch the characters develop and change according to the situations portrayed as the story progressed. This would be a great choice for an escape read from current events. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
My encounter with author Davis Bunn was reading his series that he wrote alongside Janette Oke and I absolutely loved those. I guess that’s somewhat the style I was expecting but it definitely was not. That wasn’t a bad thing, just kind of threw me for a bit. I guess I have been out of the loop when if comes to his writing as I didn’t realize he wrote suspense/mystery books. I can’t say this was my favorite and that it kept me engaged throughout because sadly it didn’t. And it wasn’t the writing because obviously Bunn can definitely write a wide variety of genres. It was all the science and technical terms that turned me off quite a bit. This book has more of a futuristic time travel/dual timeline aspect which I love dual time line but I think the time travel part threw me off on a loop.
The plot itself was good and the mystery aspect was well done. I felt disengaged from the characters but you do see them grow. The theme of the story I think was well understood. We aren’t guaranteed the future so each day we should live it to its fullest. I was a bit disappointed with the ending as I felt like it left me hanging somewhat.
I will say I think this book would be great for a book club because I know you will definitely get a lot of great conversations going with this one.
(I received this book from Revell. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
Legal thriller? Yes. Quantum physics and time travel? Really? Well, yes. Prodigal with the mother of all second chances, who broke my heart and caused me to put a major dent in a box of tissues? Yes to that, as well.
Davis Bunn delivers all of the above in Burden of Proof. Ethan has spent his life living the way he wanted, doing what he wanted, and running from his regrets. But then he is given a chance to right those wrongs, an opportunity to care for and show unselfish love for those he hurt most. The question is, will he be able to right those wrongs and heal those wounds before time runs out?
I got a bit worried when Sonya started talking about mind-body states and transitioning, but Bunn has a knack for building characters and setting scenes that make the theoretical work. It is exactly this theoretical vs. literal gap that works with the emotional turmoil and hits you right in the prodigal to make Burden of Proof a solid read.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions within this review are my own and are completely genuine.
What if we could go back with what we know now and live life differently?
That was the theme of this book.
Ethan, sick with cancer with just few months to live had the opportunity to go back into the years with the health of his sister-in-law who didn’t like him very much and his niece to uncover the truth of his brother’s gruesome murder.
My admiration was really high for Ethan for deciding to go through a very complicated process to rewrite history. That kind of love is unrivaled.
Adrian, his brother was an opposite of Ethan but the bond between them was super strong and wonderful.
This book is unlike any suspense books I have read. It is books like this that movies are made of; the plot, relatable characters, intrigue, action mystery, plots and conspiracies that have the ability to disrupt the flow of power to epic proportions. Lip-biting exciting.
This is the 2nd book by this author I am reading and he is really amazing.
I received a copy of this book from Revell and this is my honest opinion.
Do you have any regrets in life and wish you could go back in time and change something? I would imagine most of us have a few. Burden of Proof by Davis Bunn is a story of second chances that make a difference.
Ethan’s brother Adrian was murdered on the courthouse steps when he was twenty. They never caught the killer and they never quite solved the case. Ethan has been struggling and disconnected from life ever since. Then Adrian’s widow, Sonya, appears and asks for help in uncovering what really happened that day. Ethan takes the chance to help her–and to give meaning to his life.
I enjoyed Burden of Proof more than I can put in to words. I thought this was just another “typical” suspense novel and I would be searching for who-done-it like every other suspense novel. Boy, was I wrong. Instead, I was amazed as I saw Ethan go back using the wisdom he gained from his life to make a real difference not only in solving the case but in making life better for those he truly loved but didn’t cherish properly when he had the chance. I appreciated the message of this book along with the plot and the characters, all of which I came to love. This one touched me on several levels and I will be thinking about it for days to come. I haven’t read a Davis Bunn book for quite awhile and I am so glad I took a chance on this one. I encourage you to give Burden of Proof a shot too.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.
Interesting premise
If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would love a chance to change a decision from the past. To undo a wrong or even just to work harder or focus less on ourselves. Even while knowing the forgiveness of the Lord, regret can often be overwhelming and the choices made still have consequences.
Ethan had been selfish and immature and as a result, he had much to regret in his life. At fifty-five, faced with imminent death due to cancer, he had a boatload of regrets. Then, quite unexpectedly, he was given the chance at a do-over, though at great personal cost.
I liked the way Bunn imagined what it could have been like for Ethan to go back to his 20-year-old self with his memories from the current day intact. And how the lessons he had finally learned impacted the choices he made this time around. And I was very moved by the deep love he had for Gina and how it manifested itself.
Seen through Ethan’s perspective, the characters truly became flesh and blood. It was easy to see what their motivations were and to relate to them. I appreciated how Ethan’s maturity allowed him to see them differently than he did the first time around and how he responded with patience and kindness.
Adrian, Ethan’s older brother, was a gem! His handling of the court trial was masterful and filled with integrity and grace. The answer to the mystery they were trying to solve surprised me and yet fit.
Ethan had been a surfer for much of his life. I especially appreciated reading about surfing and what it is like to experience being out on the waves and how it is done (not in a technical manual how-to but more about the decision-making aspects). His love for the ocean and respect for its power was fascinating.
I seem to mention this in many of my reviews lately, but it bears stating that though this is listed as “Christian” fiction on the retail sites, there is no indication it is more than a clean story of a man willing to lay down his life for a friend.
If you enjoy a good mystery with a bit of romance, Burden of Proof might be right up your alley.
Read my review of Burden of Proof by Davis Bunn at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
This was the first book that I have read by Davis Bunn, and I was absolutely engrossed in it from beginning to end. I didn’t know what to expect at first because it seemed to combine sci-fi with mystery and thriller, so I wasn’t convinced that the combination would work. I was pleasantly surprised as this book exceeded all of my expectations. The basic premise is that Ethan uses advanced technology discovered by his sister-in-law Sonya in order to travel back in time and attempt to save his brother Adrian’s life. The whole idea for the plot seemed so wild to me, but the author not only made it work, but he made it work well, tying up loose ends and explaining the unexplainable. The Christian aspect was the story of second chances and a prodigal brother who had spent his life living for himself only to find that he had wasted it and done nothing for the brother who had sacrificed for him. I really enjoyed getting to know the three dimensional characters and all of their facets, both in the past and in their current lives. Since the time frame was dual, the author faced the challenging task of making sure that I understood exactly where the story was going and who the most important actors were. Masterful job! At the end of the story, I just wanted to immediately find another book by this author because he demonstrated such talent in plot and character development. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy high-octane, fast-paced thrillers, with mystery and sci-fi stirred into the mix.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Slow start, but captivating once it is going.
Ethan Barrett was handed a very hard task to deal with, and to make others understand. He had great motivation to take it on with his displeasure with his own choices and how his life was going. He was living with a ton of regrets and had a chance to change some of them.
There was a group of characters that he was able to bring in to help him. I enjoyed getting to know them and see how they interacted with each other throughout this book. It wasn’t easy on any of them and they each grew as the story progressed. I really like Hennie. He was very wise and shared his wisdom with Ethan.
The beginning of this book took a little longer to lay the groundwork for the situation that Ethan was in then I’m used to. The plot was definitely intriguing and kept me engaged once it got going. There were a couple of points in the story when there was a very detailed scientific explanation that totally lost me. I struggled to get through them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
This author has a wide range of genres…I’m not sure what this one is called, but it includes time travel. This type of time travel was totally different than any other to which I have been exposed.
The plot is a fascinating one, and it really kept me engaged. The mystery part was well done. I didn’t find myself thoroughly connected with the characters. I felt like I wanted a bit more there, but I was glad to see the characters grow from the beginning.
What really stuck with me was the talk of doing things for the “eternal.” None of us are guaranteed tomorrow so each day should be spent on those things that have eternal consequence.
It had a rather abrupt end, characters felt distant, and I was disappointed in the lack of any spiritual content. However, I did finish this in one sitting because it was somewhat fascinating, and the plot/mystery kept me plenty engaged ( and because I’m a ridiculously fast reader which does bother me at times.) If you have read the book, I would love to hear your thoughts. This might be an interesting book for a book club as I think it does provoke thought…that was the best gift this book gave me.
This book was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Another captivating suspense book from one of my favorite authors. Davis Bunn has blended well a bit of several genres in Burden of Proof…murder, time travel, romance, legal suspense. After living a pretty self-centered life–as one character noted, he had lived a ‘thin life’, Ethan has a second chance to save his brother’s life. Will he take the chance, regardless of the consequences? Perhaps this time he will aim for the eternal, not the temporal things in life. The book kept my interest from the first page to the last. Readers who enjoy a great suspense book will not want to miss this one.
I was given a complimentary advanced reader copy of the book from LibraryThing and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I have not read anything of Davis Bunn’s for many years. I absolutely loved his Heirs of Acadia series, but I found this quite different from his previous writing. This book rather than being historical fiction is a time travel/speculative type book. Ethan Barrett is given an opportunity to go back to the week before his brother, Adrian, was murdered and see if he can find the killer.
This was not action paced suspense with high drama, but it did continue along at a steady pace. I did enjoy seeing how the events that Ethan went through made him look back on his life and realize how self-centered he’d been and what things he had missed out on. It is well written, but I found myself lost when Sonya, Adrian’s wife, was giving scientific explanations of how her “time machine” worked along with her other scientific projects. I also thought the ending was somewhat abrupt.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
Thank you in advance to the publisher; Revell (a division of Baker Books); for providing an advanced review copy through Library Thing. A positive review was not required in any way, nor was it requested. All words are my own.
This is the second book I’ve read by Davis Bunn, and sadly it might be my last.
The first book I read, Unscripted, didn’t seem to have much of a plot nor did it make sense to me. But, I figured it was probably me.
After reading the blurb on this one, I was really excited and HAD to get it. In addition, the cover was a bit intriguing. So, I was VERY happy to win it on Library Thing. And, I always like to give authors a second (2nd) chance. I don’t want to view one bad book and go “no more”. Thankfully this is a standalone read so I don’t have to worry about having a book in a series that I don’t want to complete.
Right off, the character of Ethan grabbed me. A surfer, he is now dying, and has a lot of regrets, particularly surrounding his brother’s unsolved murder. Ethan’s former sister-in-law (Sonya) asks for his help. And, he is willing to help.
There was SO much complexity to his character that was surprising. Right off, this starts as a tear-jerking story with so much promise. And, there were moments of great character development – Ethan is obvious, but Sonya, as well as Ethan’s “almost ex-wife” Gina.
After Ethan’s present-day visit with Sonya, and his niece Delia – most of the story is told back some 25 years ago. Only Ethan does things much differently – the surfing competition, an investment, as well as digging into the reason for and trying to prevent his brother’s murder. And, the motives seemingly tie into Sonya’s company.
A side note, despite the political climate, it is interesting that the writer chose a particular hotel/casino for Ethan’s “investment” to begin. Of course the investment isn’t to secure a future, but to pay for what Ethan needs to save his brother’s life.
What sounds like almost a suspense novel takes a sharp turn towards science fiction. This is not a “feel good”, happily ever after read. There are a lot of twists and turns leading up to the “big reveal”. And, what “could’ve been” seemed to languish in the end. The big reveal was a slight let-down. There was a lot of legal wrangling with some witnesses being asked “leading” questions.
There were also a few “terms” used that were not quite right. U.S. Marshals are often called “deputies” not officers.
It started off a bit slow, kept my attention for a bit, then slowly waned. The ending and even the plot didn’t seem to live up to what I was expecting from the blurb.
The writing was solid, vivid, descriptive, and in some ways emotional. The chapters were short so that it was easy to keep moving along.
While no real plot holes, I was left asking “why” quite a lot during this read. Why was it so critical for Ethan to do this? Why did Sonya want Ethan’s help? More importantly … why now at this point? Sonya’s motives seemed mostly selfish by the beginning. Even the entire story seemed to center on something that just couldn’t be touched. I kept trying to “dig” for the meaning.
The science fiction aspect, science terms, and theories were a bit too far-fetched for me to truly enjoy this. And, there were seemingly no consequences for Ethan’s “time-travel”. In addition; the past characters of Sonya, Adrian (Ethan’s brother), and Gina; all seemed to believe Ethan’s story without even finding it suspicious. Even a minor character believes Ethan’s story.
Even after reading the book, I was wondering what the “point” of the story was. The title didn’t seem to match what was going on.
I’m sure fans of the author and/or this type of read/genre will likely enjoy this far more than I did. And, I really tried to like it. I did love reading about some of the history (locations, songs) from 1985 as I remember that year with a certain fondness.