John Cann and Arthur Matsen, partners in a prestigious Washington DC law firm with ties to the CIA and other government organizations, become embroiled in an international war crimes case in Germany, along with a mental illness commitment trial at home.  Both cases become intertwined, with one tracing its roots to WWII Yugoslavia and an embittered Bosnian Serb.

While some legal thrillers can bog readers down with legalese, Macomber uses it only when necessary. Even though two hearings are described, the legal points are very necessary for all of the other action to occur. Macomber also makes sure his readers understand what legal points are being made without condescension.

Though parts of the book were gritty portrayals of how inhumane people can be to those they think are subordinate to them, I kept rooting for the lawyers (yes, I did say that!) and their resources to save the day. I found the history accurate, the legal knots complex, the characters believable, and the action non-stop.

Though there were hints that other events happened in the past regarding Cann and concerning characters in this book, Macomber explained those briefly in conversation in such a way that the reader didn't need to know too much detail in order to become fully engaged with this book. Since Macomber’s two previous books featured John Cann, it wouldn’t surprise me if they might have been the stories referenced in A Grave Breach.

James Macomber, feel free to retire and spend all of your time writing. If A Grave Breach is an example of your skill, the complexity of your plots, and the humanity (and inhumanity) of your characters, you can keep me entertained well into my sunset years.