Ties That Bind

The "ties" of the title are the relationships between drug lord Pedro Aragon and three well-to-do and well-connected members of Oregon's upper crust. George Guidall tells the story, from their meeting at a drug house in 1970 to their rise to ultimate power in 2003. Guidall's style has a knowing quality, whether he's speaking from the perspective of Hispanic thugs, brazen yuppies, or national politicos. Upscale pimp Jon Dupre is accused of killing a U.S. senator, and then, in a locked interview room, witnessed by a police guard, Dupre brutally stabs his court-appointed lawyer. The case seems open and shut. But for Defense Attorney Amanda Jaffe, the pieces don't add up. Her investigations begin to uncover old secrets and illicit ties that put her in a bind that might prove fatal. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

January 27, 2003
Murder and intricately plotted mayhem are abundant in this latest by attorney-turned-novelist Margolin (Wild Justice), which should satisfy the most discerning and bloodthirsty of legal literati. There's a huge cast of characters, but readers shouldn't get attached—most will end up dead. Oregon attorney Amanda Jaffe reluctantly agrees to defend Portland pimp and drug dealer Jon Dupre, accused of killing one of his high-end call girls. Since Dupre also murdered his previous lawyer in a fit of pique, defending him takes guts. Jaffe's opponent in the case is state's attorney Tim Harrigan. A handsome ex-football star, Harrigan intends to parlay this sensational trial into national prominence and election to the Senate. Unfortunately, Harrigan harbors a fatal weakness and a dark secret, both of which undermine his performance as prosecuting attorney and his ascension to high-level politics. Behind all this subterfuge lurks a covert club of prominent, fat-cat officials who secretly manipulate unsuspecting men and women into implementing the club's criminal master plan to elect one of their own to the U.S. presidency. It matters little that the premise is over-the-top and that most of the characterizations are familiar. Margolin's legal expertise and narrative skill keeps the plot twisting, the action rolling and readers precariously perched on the edge of their seats. 11-city author tour. (Mar. 11)Forecast:Margolin's eight previous novels have sold briskly, and it's likely that this one will join their ranks.

November 15, 2002
Defended by Wild Justice's Amanda Jaffe, the man who killed a senator who would be president has dirty secrets to share about several public officials.

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2003
Young defense attorney Amanda Jaffe, still reeling from a near-death experience in " Wild Justice" (2000), doesn't know if she's ready to represent another violent criminal. Convinced that she can't run from the past forever if she plans to continue in defense work (in her hometown of Portland, Oregon), Amanda takes the case of Jon Dupre, a high-class pimp accused of murdering one of his lawyers and, worse, a U.S. senator. On the prosecution side is Tim Kerrigan, would-be perfect man but for a deep-rooted secret that makes his past success--winning the Heisman trophy, marrying the ideal woman, being tapped to replace the late senator--feel fraudulent. As Amanda digs to find evidence to exonerate her sleazy client, a strange pattern unfolds that involves high-powered men from business and the law; simultaneously, Tim taps into the same ring, and their discoveries converge in a thrilling climax that helps both heroes conquer their demons. Although the cast of characters grows a bit unwieldy, the novel is a showcase for Margolin's particular talents: intense action, unpredictable plot twists, embraceable (though, thankfully, flawed) heroes, and a powerful ending. Slick and convincing and sure to please thriller fans of all kinds.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)