Ties That Bind: A Novel

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: A MULTI - LAYERED HIGHLY LISTENABLE READING
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: 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: Close to 4 stars
Review: I stumbled on Philip Margolin recently, this is his second that I've read. Before this, I read Wild Justice which also featured Amanda Jaffe. I like her though I feel I got to know her a little better in the first book than here. The book begins with a long ago shootout in a drug house - and a real surprise. Then it comes forward in time and gives readers some clever twists.

One of my tests for any book is how many times I put it down. This one got second listed several times over two or three weeks. Still I liked it, and will read a few more from this guy, but I wish I had enjoyed it 4 stars worth.

Rating:
Summary: TOO MUCH SENSATIONALISM
Review: In Ties That Bind, criminal lawyer Amanda Jaffe returns, assigned by the court to defend the murderer of a U.S. Senator. While that case is somewhat circumstantial, what is more open-and-shut is her client's murder of his previous attorney, a brutal killing that has made most others reluctant to defend him. Jaffe, however, is willing to take him on and in the process, do battle with her own demons.

As usual, Margolin is an adept writer, though this is far from his best work, as most of his plot twists are either rather easy to figure out (such as who is entangled in the conspiracy) or out of left field (such as the final solution of the whodunit). On the other hand, Margolin has presented his most clever villains since Gone But Not Forgotten, which does make the story exciting even as its ending seems foreshadowed. Jaffe herself is a well-defined character, and unlike most series characters, she doesn't just shake off the traumas she has previously undergone.

Overall, I'd say this was a good, but not great, book. Those who read less suspense novels may be more surprised by the plotting, but for veteran readers of the genre, this will be a bit predictable. Nonetheless, fans of thrillers should be generally pleased with Margolin's latest effort

Rating:
Summary: Exciting conspiracy theory action
Review: Since she was kidnapped and tortured on an earlier case, lawyer Amanda Jaffe has lived with flashbacks and panic--to the point where she's considering abandoning her career in criminal law. Being a court-appointed attorney to a pimp accused of murdering a senator and his lawyer is close to Amanda's ultimate nightmare. But as she investigates, she starts to wonder if some horrible miscarriage of justice might not be taking place.

Prosecuting attorney Tim Kerrigan should be happy. He's got a beautiful wife, a wonderful daughter, a Heisman trophy, and a father and friends pushing him for more--like becoming U.S. Senator and eventually even President. Tim has a problem with his self-worth, but his powerful friends are willing to make accomodations--and push him as far as he wants to go. But first, he's got to secure what should be an easy conviction in a death penalty case. Of course, there is the little matter of the blackmailing prostitute.

As Tim and Amanda explore the case they share, each begins to learn that there are powerful currents hidden beneath the surface. Amanda picks up vague hints of some sort of cabel--the rich and powerful take care of themselves and others, and stop at nothing to preserve their power. They might even have sent a lawyer to kill his own client--the man who is now her client. But if they are that powerful and that willing to kill, is her own life safe--or has she stepped into her worst nightmare?

Author Phillip Margolin writes a fast-paced and tight thriller. Although the paperback version is four hundred pages long, I tore through the book in a single afternoon, devouring the story as quickly as I could. The powerful cabel, the fears of the primary protagonists, and their feeling of helplessness they learned that the cabel's reach is long indeed added power to the story. I did have some problems with the characters--both Amanda and especially Tim whined a bit much for my taste, but Margolin's powerful writing kept them from becoming completely unsympathetic. One horrible editing error--where Tim's wife first reports that Tim is alive and then claims that she doesn't know whether he is alive or not did jar me out of the story, but not for long.

If you like conspiracy-theory types of stories, you won't go wrong with TIES THAT BIND.

Rating:
Summary: An author who always pleases
Review: This is the fourth Philip Margolin book I have read. Margolin spins interesting yarns with some creative twists that I do enjoy, but I classify Margolin as a "B" writer at best. His characters are one-dimensional stereotypes of the standard characters in the mystery/thriller genre. The books end neatly, but I feel no satisfaction for the characters in the outcome. There is also a graphic gratuitous nasty and sadistic thread in most of Margolin's books. Ties That Bind is typical Margolin as it follows a beautiful attorney, Amanda Jaffe, who is in recovery from an encounter with a psychotic sexual sadist in an earlier book. She finds herself defending a pimp accused of multiple murders (of a U.S. Senator on the fast track to be President and then his Attorney). This leads to Amanda uncovering a group of sociopaths (known as the Vaughn Street Glee Club) in high places that have Portland in their web and the Presidency in their sights. Amanda then goes through a new series of perils as she is stalked by a typically evil group of thugs who seem mostly concerned with sexually humiliating her. The other main character is Tim Kerrigan, a former college football hero and Heisman Trophy winner, who is the Prosecutor in Amanda's case. Although outwardly a role-model, Tim is plagued by guilt, self-doubts, and unhappiness with his marriage. Acting on these issues results in Tim being dragged into the Vaughn Street Glee Club conspiracy with a Faustian choice then set before him. Ties That Bind did entertain me and Margolin's ability to frame a plot saves the book from being a stinker. In the hands of a more talented writer (who also avoids the nastiness described above) it could have been great. Although I am giving it three stars, 2 ? would be a more appropriate rating.

Rating:
Summary: Good Legal Thriller
Review: Ties That Bind brings back Amanda Jaffe who is still affected by the events that befell her in Wild Justice.
The bad guys are really bad and as is often the case, they're more interesting than the white hats. Jon Dupre, a violent pimp accused of murdering Senator Harold Travis, is a world-class scumbag. The evidence against him looks strong and, while in police custody, he kills his court-appointed attorney.
There accordingly isn't a lot of tension for any sort of race against time to find the real killer. On top of that, Travis is an extortionist and a murderer in his own right, so his death is not going to elicit any particular sympathy. When Jaffe is requested by the court to take over his defense, it looks like an uphill battle for her. When she begins to investigate Dupre's alibi and claims of innocence, however, she is pressured to drop her investigation and let justice take its course. As Jaffe nears the surprising truth, she brings danger closer to herself and those she loves, even as the truth that she and her client is seeking comes from a totally unexpected source.

Rating:
Summary: Margolin has written another page turner, despite some flaws
Review: TIES THAT BIND is a vehicle for Phillip Margolin's reintroduction of Amanda Jaffe, last seen in WILD JUSTICE. Jaffe is still adversely affected by the events that befell her in that novel and is making efforts to deal with them. Daniel Ames from THE ASSOCIATE also makes a cameo appearance, but this is primarily Jaffe's book. Jaffe is an interesting character, but in TIES THAT BIND, she tends to get lost among the more interesting people and events around her.

There aren't a lot of sympathetic characters in TIES THAT BIND. The bad guys are really bad and as is often the case, they're more interesting than the white hats. Jon Dupre, a violent pimp accused of murdering Senator Harold Travis, is a world-class scumbag. It's difficult to let your sense of justice rise to the occasion and see him acquitted of a crime for which he might be wrongfully accused. However, the evidence against him looks strong and, while in police custody, he kills his court-appointed attorney. To paraphrase Tom Sawyer's Aunt Polly, he wouldn't miss a lick if he rode the lightning, even if it was for the wrong crime.

There accordingly isn't a lot of tension for any sort of race against time to find the real killer. On top of that, Travis is an extortionist and a murderer in his own right, so his death is not going to elicit any particular sympathy, one way or the other. When Jaffe is requested by the court to take over his defense, it looks like an uphill battle for her. When she begins to investigate Dupre's alibi and claims of innocence, however, she is pressured --- violently --- to drop her investigation and let justice take its course. What is interesting here is what the investigation ultimately uncovers, which is a conspiracy that has existed for decades and that links Travis to a mysterious group of public officials and drug lords. As Jaffe nears the surprising truth, she brings danger closer to herself and those she loves, even as the truth that she and her client is seeking comes from a totally unexpected source.

Margolin's plot doesn't always hang together perfectly. The method by which the surprise ending is effected, in particular, is somewhat of a stretch and requires some suspension of disbelief, though it is ultimately quite satisfying. Overall, Margolin remains an exciting writer of great economy with the ability to keep readers turning pages as fast as they are capable of reading. TIES THAT BIND ultimately continues Margolin's unbroken string of riveting, spellbinding novels that are almost impossible to put down without finishing.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub