The Law of the Sea : A Novel

by Dave Gerard, Dov Preminger

A brand-new, electrifying legal thriller that will take you around the world in search of one of the greatest sunken treasures of all time.

In the twenty-first century, modern-day treasure hunters scour the seas for ancient shipwrecks. The rarest of these are worth colossal fortunes, and can make their finders fabulously wealthy in the blink of an eye.

Against this backdrop, young Houston lawyer Jack Carver meets his newest client, Ashley Marcum. She is looking for help after the mysterious death of her brother, who died while working for a giant oil company. Jack and Ashley’s only clue about his death is a set of unidentified gold coins, of indeterminate age and value.

As Jack and Ashley scramble to discover how her brother died and uncover the origin of the coins, the oil company sends their powerful lawyers to stop them. Jack and Ashley soon find themselves caught up in a legal battle to uncover the truth—a battle they are ill-equipped to win.

As the saga unfolds, Jack and Ashley soon discover that the coins belong to an ancient shipwreck—perhaps one of the greatest of all time. As the oil company tries to subvert legal process and shut them out, Jack and Ashley are forced to fight a case that begins in Texas but soon spreads across the globe.

Amidst twists, turns, and roadblocks, Jack and Ashley must race through a history shrouded in secrets, spurred on by a case that ignites a firestorm around the world.

Genres: Fiction

452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2021

About the author

Dov Gerard Preminger, pen name Dave Gerard, is an attorney practicing in Austin, Texas. Dov was born in Israel to parents from Chile and Zimbabwe. He moved to the U.S. when he was two, and grew up in Los Angeles. Over the course of his career, he has been a salesman, a journalist, an entrepreneur, and now a corporate litigator. Dov wrote The Law of the Sea during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is his first novel.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through the first two thirds of this novel I felt like I was reading a possible successor to John Grisham, a lawyer turned writer willing to discuss the downsides of the legal profession. And those first two thirds were really interesting with lots of legal maneuvering, arrogant corporate types, twists and turns, and a young (or youngish) lawyer as a main character. The last third had the usual downsides of the thriller genre, the need to have rather unbelievable action sequences.

I think a good editor could have tightened this story up a bit and turned this into a really enjoyable story with about a hundred less pages. The wraps at the end did explain all the twists and turns.

[CATHY HODGES · Rating 5 out of 5]

More, More, More

Never have I read a book from an author new to me without wondering how much I will enjoy it. And usually, I wouldn’t rate the book as anything to “write home about”.
Well, I am writing home now….Excellent and riveting, with great depth and intensity! And I am not even a lawyer.
And now I am hooked…
Thank you Dave Gerard, and please write More, More, More!
Cathy CCH

[Rick Hightower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Legal Story

As a trial attorney for 45 years in Texas, I really enjoyed this book. Some of it strained credulity, but it was still fun. Since I have tried cases in Galvestonand and have a condo there, I know no one would walk from the Federal Courthouse there to the Galvez, way too far! Looking forward to the next book.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read for a topic as dry as law can be! The characters were fun — this wasn’t a character development book by any means, but was more focused on law itself and the creativity (for better or worse) involved with it.

The sunken ship / treasure aspect added a layer of interest on top of it. Really enjoyed this book.

[Caren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced read and it went quickly. Love the Houston descriptions. The law firm descriptions were a bit off the mark, but closer to reality than many others. I loved the piracy aspect. The ending came a little suddenly, but made sense. Overall, a really fun book.

[Ursula Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book by sheer chance and was very, very pleasantly surprised. This would be one of the better books I’ve read for a long time. The story kept flowing nicely and the development of the characters was subtle, but effective. Although there were legal explanations and historical accounts, it was never boring, and I was never tempted to skip paragraphs. I always had the feeling that the author knew what he was talking about. I do hope Dave Gerard will write another book.

[Karyn Kaplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Good!

Unusual mix of intrigue, law and legal tactics and history. Don't know if history is accurate but I know it's a good look at how countries, 500 years ago, looted and then pirated their treasures home. It's very interesting to read about treasure hunting and salvage, both from the international and private claims process .

[Russell Quinton]

Great Legal Adventure

This author produced one of the best legal adventure books I have had the privilege of reading. It contains stories from many venues fro legal courtroom battles, murder mysteries, piracy, corporate malfeasance and many others. All of the stories made very interesting.
I highly recommend this book.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really fun to read. Adventure, Legal issues, History and intrigue. I loved the characters and the subject matter, something I really enjoy.

There was a section near the last third that was a bit crazy but by the end things got tied up and was more than satisfying.

I hope this author has other unique ideas up his sleeve, maybe even continuing with some of these characters

[BOB MEADERS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stimulating, thought provoking

And a damn good read. Stuffed full of facts and imaginative fiction with just a sniff of sex. Goes well with a cat on the lap and frequent cups of coffee.

[Saskia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story centers around the mysterious death of a deep sea diver who found a centuries old shipwreck and the courtroom drama that ensues as to owns the treasure. It's a great read that will keep you wanting to read more.

[Georgene Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be a movie

Wow
I haven't read a book this good in forever!
I sure hope he's writing more! I sure think should be a movie! I read a lot but this is really good!

[Hunter McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very 3 star read for me. I was able to run through the story very quick, which was a good thing for me, since despite generally liking it and devouring it quicker than I expected, I had a fair share of annoyances. The main characters had moments of feeling like being a self insert for the author, and while I can appreciate the “and everyone clapped” moments since it’s a fun fiction story, they wore on me as the book continued.

There were several moments where a supporting character caused a lot of issues that I guess helped provide conflict for the plot, but more than anything just served to annoy me, add to that a tacked on romance with them and I became less invested with the characters than I should have.

For all my gripes, it was a fun and quick read, if you want to turn your brain off and just have a little fun, you could do a lot worse than this book

[Hannah Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, interesting read. I love that the book centers around a real lost shipwreck, which I then had to go look up. I thought it was a little unnecessary to continually explain what certain legal things are (like depositions, which are fairly self-explanatory...) but then I have a legal background, so maybe I'm not the best judge of that. Lost me a bit with the pirates toward the end, but luckily it re-grabbed my attention in the final chapters, and I especially appreciate that it ends on an ambiguous note regarding the ship. Also, the characters were all unique, colorful, and well-drawn. I hope to see more from this author in the future.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

As another reviewer noted, I was surprised by the number of 4 and 5 star ratings for this book. Characterization is almost non-existent or poor. The main character, a lawyer, isn't particularly clever or able or knowledgeable. He (and others) constantly miss things that are blatantly obvious to the reader. Incidents happen which clearly have import, but are then completely set aside or ignored by the characters for vast swathes of time.

Frankly, I found it hard to root for the main character, as he disappointed me so often. There WERE interesting bits, interesting ideas. In the hands of a better writer, this could have been much more.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book for one of my bookclubs. I found the story concept to be good but the writing was truly awful! Use of the "words" bruh, dude, and wasted were interjected in the dialogue which did not elevate my opinion of the book at all. Writer seemed to put more detailed descriptions of the parties and the food that was served than into the rest of the storyline. The only upside to the book is that I think it could be made into a pretty successful movie with a writing overhaul on the script.

[Ariel Preminger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Gerard writes in a simple and direct prose. His style makes it easy and pleasurable to read his book. The plot is entertaining and also educational. I learnt about the nuances of everyday law practice, and a surprising amount of information on maritime law. An excellent debut.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Read

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had no idea what it was about yet found myself hooked. I learned so much about maritime law, which I had never thought about. Well written, funny, lots of history. The good guy wins in the end!

[CJ Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a little surprised at all the 5 star reviews for this story. It was a fun book to read, but lacked credulity (and drama....until the end). Certainly not as gripping as some of the better known legal thrillers, but decent insight into Law 101.
.

[Bradford L Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought the book might get boring with all the explanation of legal details; however, the way Dave wove them into the story made them interesting and educational. For readers who struggle through the first part of the book it is heavily weighted with action near the end.

[Kevin Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting storyline!

This novel was very satisfying because the author explained the relevant concepts and added citations to leading case law. I look forward to this author's future novels.

[Alistair Giffels · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pacing was perfect. The story is comparable to a Clive Cussler novel or an Indiana Jones movie. My reading speed was increased to find out what happens next it was that engaging. For an unplanned find at a coffee shop, I was pleasantly surprised. WILL recommend

[Charley Beans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Very pleasant legal tale about young and old lawyers tangled in disputes concerning a sunken treasure ship. Three more words

[Jacqueline Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one!

This book is like reading a good movie. Fast and fun and the characters are well mixed. Can get a bit into legalese but overall a fun read.

[Glen McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a slog at first but it picks up in the middle and the end. It becomes a wild adventure with a few twists you really don't see coming, and you learn a lot about maritime law and shipwrecks.

[Richard Forcum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story. Well written and a joy to read!

This book was a fun read. Very entertaining, great story line. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Highly recommend.

[Douglass w. Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A legal thriller like no other!

Gresham has nothing on this guy! Truly a fascinating and compelling courtroom drama that spreads far and wide across oceans. Could not put it down!

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fun page turner.

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. Truly a fun, captivating read that I highly recommend to all.

[ric · Rating 5 out of 5]

engaging

Both a good novel and a summary of various legal issues. I enjoyed reading to the surprising conclusion. If you like twists and turns you will like this book.

[Debbie Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read!

I’m retired and proteas several book a week. My fried recommended this book as a good . I agree! Thanks