The Presence of Enemies [Paperback]

William Coughlin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 1989

Following the death of her billionaire banker husband, Elizabeth is left with control of his bank and must stand alone against his bitter family and encroaching enemies. By the author of Shadow of a Doubt. 75,000 first printing. $75,000 ad/promo.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Posthumously published, this legal thriller lacks the authority of Coughlin's previous books, in particular his riveting Shadow of a Doubt . Here 32-year-old Jake Martin, an associate lawyer hoping for a partnership in his prestigious Detroit law firm, is assigned to an important case and then left pretty much out on a limb. Multimillionaire banker Gus Daren has died after a series of strokes, leaving control of his bank, with its extensive holdings, to his young fourth wife, Elizabeth. Gus's grown children and some of the bank officers are disturbed by Elizabeth's intentions to take command of the institution and guide it in a new, international direction. Daren's son contests the will, leading to a jury trial, which is held in the northern Michigan town near the family estate. Jake, a probate expert who has never tried a case before, assembles this one on his own and tries it, relying on wit and on recourse to a book on trial law published by the defense attorney. Although the scenario is improbable and readers will spot the villains well before the hapless advocate does, Coughlin deftly conjures up the North Woods setting and the secondary cast of eccentric locals, who are more convincing than the lead characters.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A precariously placed Detroit lawyer with no trial experience finds himself thrust into the courtroom defense of a billionaire client's will. When Jake Martin videotaped banker Augustus Daren's latest will, it seemed a routine precaution; despite a stroke, the old man was clearly in full possession of his faculties when he decided to vest voting control of his controlling interest in giant Hanover Square Bank in his third wife, Elizabeth, instead of splitting the power with his two children as well. But now that foreign banks are sniffing around H.S.B. hoping for a merger or a buyout, whiny Chip and cautious Gussie, despite the millions they're sure to inherit, are trying to keep control of their shares--and the fabulous power they confer--by claiming their father was incompetent at that signing. Jake, who's up for a partnership in prestigious Sperling Beekman, is confident of victory only because he doesn't know that (1) Elizabeth's neighbors in upstate Eagle County, where he plans to enter the will for probate before a jury, would love to see her lose the case; (2) Chip's insider at H.S.B. has turned the two witnesses to the signing against Jake; (3) Chip's insider at Sperling Beekman has stolen both copies of the tape; and (4) the all-star litigator who's supposed to be trying the case for Sperling Beekman is about to pull out. As Jake struggles to hold his own in the often riotous courtroom scenes, his wife is suing for divorce, luscious Elizabeth is coming on to him, and Chip's suave veteran trial lawyer T.G. (Tiger) Sage is quietly turning the local newspapers against him. Guess how it all turns out. Less assured than Shadow of a Doubt (1991) and Death Penalty (1992); the ending comes too easily despite too many unresolved subplots. But Coughlin, who died early last year, keeps you burning the midnight oil up to the very end. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan (August 17, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0283998237
• ISBN-13: 978-0283998232
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,885,426 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I thought it to be good, June 24, 2000

By 

William H. Gallagher (Brooksville FL.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In The Presence of Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

If you like books with good attorney drama you'll like this one. Jake is a good character, split between his wife and Mrs. Daren, it gets more complicated by his employer. Sage is a good opponent. The Daren family, the spoiled brat Chip and his sister Gussie add to the plot. If you like Grisham you'll like this. I recommend it. It's not overpowering, but a solid 4 star book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading, March 11, 1999

By 

Rick Dames "mostly unabridged audiobooks" (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In The Presence of Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

I didn't feel that this was a bad book - It wsn't Coughlin's best, but...The jacket and the review keep talking about an afair between lawyer Jake Martin and client (about to be wealthy) widow. They never as much as kissed, or discussed a relationsip, or went out together. There was absolutely no personal relationship. It was surely put on the book jacket to make one feel that there will be exciting sexual tension and moral delemas - but I waited and waited for that plot twist and it never started. It was completely fraudulant and an absolute lie on the book cover and I'm seeing it in one of your synopsyses. I never vote for more Governmant regulation - but, out and out lying to sell a book - you should be ashamed.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lier, Lier, Pants on Fire!, February 11, 2000

By 

Dalia Soto - See all my reviews

This review is from: In The Presence of Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

Jake and Elizabeth weren't lovers as the back cover stated! Other than that, it was a good book and I read it twice. It's one of my favorites from WJC.