The Faculty Club [Kindle Edition]

Danny Tobey (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tobey's unconvincing debut centers on a Skull and Bones–like society at a Yale-like university in New England. High achiever Jeremy Davis, a native of a small Texas town who attended an obscure college, is thrilled that he's starting at the greatest law school in the world. The very first day of classes, Jeremy's ingenious answer to a tough ethical question so impresses Professor Ernesto Bernini, a former U.S. attorney general, that Bernini asks Jeremy to become his research assistant. When Jeremy overhears Bernini mention him as a possible candidate for V and D, a club that invites only three law students each year to join, he doesn't hesitate to compromise his morals to become one of the chosen. Jeremy's pursuit of the truth behind V and D later puts his life in danger. Readers will search in vain for any fresh take on the familiar idea of an all-powerful secret Ivy League cabal controlling world events. The revelation of what's really going on is more likely to elicit groans than chills. (June)
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From Booklist

This debut novel reads like an ungainly combination of Grisham’s The Firm, Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and Turow’s One L, with a bit of Hogwarts from Harry Potter thrown in for good measure. Tobey, a Yale Law School graduate, gives his hero, Jeremy Davis, a total game changer when Davis, an unsophisticated but bright boy from Texas, product of a local college, is accepted into an East Coast law school that is only identified as “the greatest law school in the world.” The rewards pile up precipitously for Davis as soon as he arrives at the school whose graduates rule the world. A former attorney general for the U.S., now a distinguished professor, singles out Davis for a potentially prestigious research project and invites him to a meeting of a secret, exclusive club. At this point, the plot swerves from One L and The Firm into The Da Vinci Code, as Davis is plunged into a literal tunnel, finding codes and mazes and a murderous ritual at its center. The first-person narration sounds more like the voice of a teenybopper than that of a law student. There are exciting moments here for fans of high-concept thrillers, but there is little in the way of a cohesive narrative. --Connie Fletcher

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 2023 KB
• Publisher: Atria Books; Reprint edition (June 1, 2010)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003KVKRB8
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Danny Tobey grew up in Texas with a love of all things mystery, thriller, sci-fi, and adventure. A proud graduate of the Fort Worth public schools, Danny went on to Harvard College and Yale Law School, where he never stopped writing and served as Literature Editor of the historic Harvard Lampoon comedy magazine. His first book, THE FACULTY CLUB, is a wild blend of secret-society conspiracy thriller and sci-fi/fantasy that led #1 NYT Bestselling Author Brad Thor to write: "THE FACULTY CLUB is an intelligent, engaging, page-turner of a thriller that had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This book was one hell of a good read and introduces thriller writing's hottest new author, Danny Tobey." And the Washington Post Book World said: "Danny Tobey excels at working hypothetical situations, moral dilemmas, and puzzles into his plot." New Mystery Reader called THE FACULTY CLUB "an electrifying and wildly satisfying read. This debut novel really is one that really has it all, and it wouldn't be a surprise if this one hits the big screen soon."

In his spare time, Danny loves music, travel, reading, and searching for the world's best Tex-Mex. His favorite review of THE FACULTY CLUB came from a librarian at the Tunkhannock Public Library in Tunkhannock, PA: "What a fantastic, thrilling, suspenseful, joyride! It's like the Goonies went to college and majored in Raiders of the Lost Ark. That kind of mystery, mythology, and not letting go until the entire thing is taken care of. The Faculty Club twists with serpentine smoothness, from mystery to thriller, and never misses a breath. But by the time the book is over, you'll be missing a few of your own."

Danny's second novel, THE SURROGATE, comes out Summer 2012 from Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best audiobook I have heard in a long time, March 3, 2011

By 

Dr. Bimbo - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Faculty Club (Kindle Edition)

I picked this up from my local library to listen in my car during my work commute. The story was so engaging that I looked forward to driving to work so that I could hear more of the story. When I came home, I found myself sitting in my garage so I could listen to just a little bit more before I went inside the house! I'm not a professional reviewer, in fact this is my first review, but I have enjoyed this book so much that I wanted to give it the highest recommendtion. I think the secret society aspect of the story was interesting and I enjoyed the puzzles and decoding along the way. I am going to purchase my own copy of this audiobook so I can listen to the story whenever I want! If you like Dan Brown, Jeffrey Deaver and similar authors, you will love this book.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping!, June 4, 2010

By 

AndyT - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Faculty Club: A Thriller (Hardcover)

I read this book in a night. It's thrilling and never stops moving. What I was most impressed by was the character development, which was in no way shortchanged by the pace of the book. The characters are eminently believable, and very easy to sympathize with. By the end, you can't bear the thought of anything happening to them--which is right where the author wants you. An impressive book, by an impressive new author.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Fluff and Very Entertaining, January 23, 2011

By 

PJG (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Faculty Club: A Thriller (Hardcover)

I had never heard of Danny Tobey when I picked this book up. And I honestly only took the risk because the copy was signed at a bookstore I frequent. So I purchased it and started reading after a week or so. To my wonderful surprise, Danny gets right to the guts of the story. I generally prefer Sci-Fi novels for the same reason, and John Grisham back when he first started, so I was hooked.

There is a basic understanding of all the characters from the start and it is not overly saturated with others either. Ever read a book and had to go back a few chapters just to remember or confirm who someone was? I never had to do that with this book because each character had their own definitive description from the start. After a rather short start this novel really takes off winding you down a maze of conspiracy and mystery. I fear saying anymore as I do not want to spoil the story. After I was about a third of the way through I could not put the book down and had to force myself to go to bed so I was not dragging the next day.