Ties That Bind by
Phillip M. Margolin
pbk out December 04
(Time Warner)
at £6.99
They say that the US has more lawyers than the rest of the world
combined, so maybe it's the competition that drives so many of them to
become authors. This is another lawyer book in the mould of Grisham or
Turow, though perhaps with more action and less courtroom. The author
is already well-established, having been an Edgar nominee and has had
at least one of his previous books filmed. Philip Margolin was a defence
attorney in Oregon and this book is again about his feisty lawyer Amanda
Jaffe who practises in Portland.
The plot revolves about corruption in high places, when a long-
established 'club' of prominent citizens use ruthless methods to
perpetuate their will amongst the community and rake off huge sums in
nefarious activities. Amongst their scams is the political suppression of
opposition to an anti-cloning Bill due to be passed in Washington, as
commercial medical interests would stand to lose a lot of money. John
Dupre, one of their crooked agents, is arrested on suspicion of the murder
of a senator. When his defence attorney goes to visit him in jail, the
lawyer ends up dead and no other attorney will risk defending him.
Amanda Jaffe is bulldozed into the job by a senior judge and from this
point on, repeated mayhem is the order of the day. The number of corpses
by the end rivals Hamlet, but it is a compelling tale, though perhaps the
denouement is a little far-fetched. A good read, especially if you are
attracted by the American way of life - and violent death!
(
Bernard Knight
ex Home Office Pathologist and author of the highly acclaimed Crowner John series)
Ties That Bind by
Phillip M. Margolin
