Elliot Rosenzweig, a wealthy Chicago philanthropist, is attending opening night at the opera.  Ben Solomon, a retired Polish immigrant, makes his way through the crowd and shoves a gun in Rosenzweig's face, denouncing him as former SS officer, Otto Piatek.   Solomon is blind-sided, knocked to the floor and taken away.  Rosenzweig uses his enormous influence to get Solomon released from jail, but Solomon commences a relentless pursuit to bring Rosenzweig before the courts to answer for war crimes.  Solomon finds a young attorney, Catherine Lockhart, to whom he recounts his family's struggles and heroisms during the war, revealing to her that he and Piatek grew up as brothers in the same household.  

Once We Were Brothers is a contemporary legal thriller and a poignant look back into the lives of small town Poland during World War II.  

The author, Ronald H. Balson, is a Chicago trial attorney, an educator and writer.  His practice has taken him to several international venues, including villages in Poland which have inspired this novel.

Review

A terrific read and an important portrayal of actual legal work performed by real-life lawyers committed to pursuing those who assisted in Nazi atrocities and then lied to gain US citizenship. --Steven Biskupic, former federal prosecutor

Blending intrigue, court room drama, and facing the struggles of life that drive us for all those involved - the accused, the accuser, and the lawyers. "Once We Were Brothers" is riveting and unique reading, highly recommended. (Small Press Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review)

Extraordinary story.  I started on Saturday morning and finished Saturday night, ignoring all of my errands.  I could not put it down.  The legal scenes are authentic and compelling. --Richard Kling, Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law

[W]hen the oral retelling really starts it is a book I could not put down and the writing is superb.  Balson has debuted with an outstanding historical piece of fiction and we hope to see more from him in the near future. Readers will not go wrong by picking up this book.  Four stars. (The Record, Chicago Bar Association)

If you enjoy a good story, if you like novels, if accidentally learning something significant gives you a charge, buy this book and I PROMISE you that you will be glad you did. --David Templer, Attorney, Miami, FL