Rating: 
Summary: A Conspiracy
Review: Amanda Jaffe is back, but she is still in shock from her adventures in the last book (Wild Justice) Her confidence is shot and she has panic attacks. There are dirty politicians, policemen, and lawyers. When a senator is killed, and Jon Dupre, a pimp who provided girls for the senator is accused it looks like an easy case. During his first visit with his attorey, it appears that Jon actually manages to kill the attorney. He's got to have a new lawyer and no one wants to take the case.Amanda's father talks her into taking a dangerous and challenging case in order to get back on track. She suddenly finds herself believing the story of an unlikely client and looking into a conspiracy that dates back twenty years. She is nearly killed once a gain, but does solve the case. Hopefully she will come back again better ready to tackle a tough case without her personal hangups. It was not the best of Margolin, but still a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A good, quick read that keeps you turning the pages!
Review: As always, Phillip Margolin keeps the heat turned up in this latest mystery/thriller. At times, it is a bit difficult to keep the characters straight but all in all, it is worth the time spent. I recommend his work to all interested in this particular genre.
Rating: 
Summary: Close to 4 stars
Review: Film stage and television actress Margaret Whitton gives a multi-layered reading of Margolin's Portland based thriller. With equal ease she inhabits the most disparate of characters from lawyer Amanda Jaffe to state's attorney Tim Harrigan to a Hispanic gang leader. When last seen the once commanding Amanda had been so traumatized that she lost not only confidence but a willingness to once again do legal battle. However, she does agree to take on a case that no one else will consider - the murder of a U.S. Senator. Jon Dupre, operator of a for-the-wealthy call girl service stands accused. Claiming innocence, Dupre says he can prove that a group of influential men have formed a secret society to promote their political agendas, and will stop at nothing - not even murder. Sounds very much like a trumped up tale by someone trying to exonerate himself, does it not? However, Amanda will soon have reason to believe otherwise. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: Another Lawyer Turn Detective Story
Review: First off, I'm going to start with the good stuff. In Ties That Bind Phillip Margolin writes another fun, attention keeping lawyer as detective thriller staring the damaged Amanda Jaffe. Here, not only must she deal with a political conspiracy, a possibly innocent yet dangerous client and a possible corrupt District Attorney but also a brutal group of men who aren't scared to use the horrors of her past against her. Margolin weaves together a lot of sub plots to come to his satisfying and actually surprising conclusion. Rarely anymore am I surprised by the ending of a book, with hundreds of mysteries behind me, it easy to suspect everyone. This time Margolin actually set me up pretty well, and threw a curveball past me.
On the negative side, and this isn't a criticism of Margolin alone, the legal thriller genre is quickly becoming more thriller than legal. These lawyers turn writers currently seem unable to end a book in a courtroom. In this novel, Margolin continues the trend with very minimal courtroom scenes and not all that much lawyering happening. Now granted, a good thriller has its place, and this one was pretty good, but I didn't start reading the likes of Margolin, Lescroart, Bernhardt and Freidman for your typical psycho stalker meets beautiful lady story. I like the courtroom maneuvering and the legal process, and yes, even a verdict. Hopefully once again we can get some books with verdicts.
Rating:
Summary: Another Lawyer Turn Detective Story
Review: First off, I'm going to start with the good stuff. In Ties That Bind Phillip Margolin writes another fun, attention keeping lawyer as detective thriller staring the damaged Amanda Jaffe. Here, not only must she deal with a political conspiracy, a possibly innocent yet dangerous client and a possible corrupt District Attorney but also a brutal group of men who aren't scared to use the horrors of her past against her. Margolin weaves together a lot of sub plots to come to his satisfying and actually surprising conclusion. Rarely anymore am I surprised by the ending of a book, with hundreds of mysteries behind me, it easy to suspect everyone. This time Margolin actually set me up pretty well, and threw a curveball past me.
On the negative side, and this isn't a criticism of Margolin alone, the legal thriller genre is quickly becoming more thriller than legal. These lawyers turn writers currently seem unable to end a book in a courtroom. In this novel, Margolin continues the trend with very minimal courtroom scenes and not all that much lawyering happening. Now granted, a good thriller has its place, and this one was pretty good, but I didn't start reading the likes of Margolin, Lescroart, Bernhardt and Freidman for your typical psycho stalker meets beautiful lady story. I like the courtroom maneuvering and the legal process, and yes, even a verdict. Hopefully once again we can get some books with verdicts.
Rating:
Summary: Something's missing...
Review: For the most part, men and women write differently. Not that this is a bad thing, just that there can be obvious differences. For example, a writing teacher told me once that men have a tendency to be more cut-and-dry, more blunt, and leave the bare minimum. Using this minimizing technique works well for analytical essays, and sometimes short stories, but it's not always successful when seen in a novel.
Margolin tells a story of conspiracy in the Portland legal community, and cuts out parts that would be more appropriate for a novel. At times, it seems as if he is trying to pull off a Dan Brown-sort of novel in the changing views and the hierarchy of conspiracy and deceit, but he lacks rich descriptions, as well as 'hit and runs,' or similes. Much of the dialogue is too blunt, and nondescript, leaving the reader wanting to know more about how the characters are talking, or what is happening while the talking is ocurring. Basically, there is no emotion in his words.
However, when there is emotion, it seems forced. Many times, I found myself reading a passage and thinking, 'You have got to be kidding me. I don't buy it.' The difference between Margolin and Brown's far-fetchedness is that at least in Brown's the absurd plot twists are not only believable, but make sense in a smart way. When I read 'Ties That Bind,' some of the twists were not led into, and were not smartly introduced.
More or less, I read the book just to get it done with. I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters, and I thought that much of what happened was implausible. Overall, I give the book three stars, for effort, and because the author is from the same town as I.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as previous books
Review: I have enjoyed previous Philip Margolin books, particularly "Gone But Not Forgotton". "Ties That Bind" is also enjoyable, but not as much as the others. One reason is that there are too many characters in this story and I could not keep track of them.
Rating:
Summary: Too many people !!!
Review: I have to admit, I have yet to finish this book, although I have started it twice. I have never read a book with so many characters. Before you get to page 50, you have had so many characters introduced, that I for one, cannot keep track of who is who. I intend to finish the book on recommendation from a friend and the fact that I usually enjoy Margolin books. This book has me very frustrated keeping track of so many characters.
Rating: 
Summary: An author who always pleases
Review: I just want to start of by saying that some people take writing a review a bit too seriously. When I read reviews on Amazon it is to get a feel for people's reaction to a book, either they loved or hated it. I am tired of reading detailed synopsis on books or of people criticizing the authors just because they did not like the book. Either you like or you hate a story. A quick overview of the book with an honest opinion is all that is needed. With that said, I want to say that I loved this book. Philip Margolin is one of those authors who has yet to fail pleasing me. I buy his book without reading what it is about. This book is no exception. The story revolves around Amanda Jaffe, a lawyer who asked to represent a pimp who is accused of killing a US Senator. Amanda is a character from one of his previous books where she is kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer. This book not only gives us the usual twist and turns of a whodonit but it also focuses on how Amanda is learning to live with the traumatic experience of being tortured by a psycho. For anyone who has had something very bad happen to them, this book is good in describing the emotions of a person who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Good book, great ending, quick read....THE END!
Rating: 
Summary: Margolin is going downhill
Review: I used to love Margolin books but the last book he wrote I actually went back to see if I had been mistaken about the quality of his other books. I wasn't, he was the author of many books I had loved. So, I figured he was having an off book. However, this book confirms it for me, he does not write anywhere near with the depth of character and plot that he used to. This book is fair, but not good. Amanda Jaffe lacks any reality and it seems that Margolin, like several other authors, is just trying to hook onto a series character to sell books. This character holds no spark or interest. I actually did not even finish this book.
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