The Hearing [Mass Market Paperback]

James Mills (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

Gus Parham has just been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. But when an old enemy digs into his past, Gus finds out he has a daughter who had been given up for adoption by his wife before they were married. On the eve of his confirmation, Gus is presented with a videotape of his daughter--and an unspeakable threat. Now he must struggle to preserve his integrity, his family, and his life.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Nobody does the thriller milieu better than Mills, who once again uses his skill as a magazine writer to bring complicated fictional scenes of crime, law, and politics to instant and completely credible life. When Alabama judge Gus Parham is nominated by the president--his old college friend--for an opening on the U.S. Supreme Court, it brings out of the woodwork everyone from a 13-year-old daughter he never knew he had to a vengeful Colombian drug dealer who can orchestrate more damage from behind prison bars than most villains on the outside. There's also a fascinating, complex character named Helen Bondell, who runs an alliance of public interest groups known as the Freedom Federation and who at first sees the nomination of moderate Southerner Parham as a bad idea. Bondell wants to keep Gus off the Supreme Court in the worst way--until she realizes that her supposed allies have much worse ways than she can imagine. Helped by a supportive president with some resourceful aides, a tough DEA agent friend, and Samantha, the delightful and courageous daughter suddenly thrust back into their lives, Gus and his wife Michelle resist all pressures to withdraw from the race and avoid a bloody Senate hearing. By making sure that every detail of motivation and landscape rings true, Mills keeps us captivated every inch of the way. Some of his memorable early works such as Panic in Needle Park and Report to the Commissioner, are out of print, but more recent books (Haywire and The Power) are available in paperback. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Few thriller writers handle the milieu better than Mills, who in his eighth novel (after 1995's Haywire) once again uses his skills as a journalist (evidenced in The Underground Empire and other nonfiction bestsellers) to bring complicated fictional scenes of crime, law and politics to instant and completely credible life. When Alabama Judge Gus Parham is nominated by the president?his old college friend?for an opening on the U.S. Supreme Court, his new prominence brings a lot of people out of the woodwork, including a 13-year-old daughter he never knew he had and a vengeful Colombian drug dealer who can orchestrate more damage from behind prison bars than most villains on the outside. Add to the mix Helen Bondell, a fascinating, complex woman who runs an alliance of public interest groups known as the Freedom Federation and who at first sees the nomination of Parham, a moderate Southerner, as a bad idea. Bondell wants to keep Gus off the Supreme Court in the worst way?until she realizes that her supposed allies are determined to do so in more ways than she can imagine. Helped by a supportive president with some resourceful aides, a tough DEA agent friend, and Samantha, the delightful and courageous daughter suddenly thrust into their lives, Gus and his wife, Michelle, resist all pressures to withdraw from the race and avoid a bloody Senate hearing. Ensuring that every detail of motivation and landscape rings true, and pacing his story with capable ease, Mills will keep readers captivated through this strong and smartly told story.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446607185
• ISBN-13: 978-0446607186
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,292,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read - Something A Bit Different, April 16, 2002

By 

Joseph L Burke - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hearing (Mass Market Paperback)

This is not a thrill-a-minute novel but it is interesting and well written. A nominee for the Supreme Court has to undergo the depredations of political opponents and the revelations of his past in order to be confirmed by the Senate. Probably a bit overlong but worth reading. The author wrote other best sellers, as well. He writes with clarity and compassion. The characters are well defined and the good guys win in the end. Nothing earth-shaking here but something entertaining and off the beaten track.