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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Margolin has written another page turner, despite some flaws, March 15, 2003
TIES THAT BIND is a vehicle for Phillip Margolin's reintroduction of Amanda Jaffe, last seen in WILD JUSTICE. Jaffe is still adversely affected by the events that befell her in that novel and is making efforts to deal with them. Daniel Ames from THE ASSOCIATE also makes a cameo appearance, but this is primarily Jaffe's book. Jaffe is an interesting character, but in TIES THAT BIND, she tends to get lost among the more interesting people and events around her. There aren't a lot of sympathetic characters in TIES THAT BIND. The bad guys are really bad and as is often the case, they're more interesting than the white hats. Jon Dupre, a violent pimp accused of murdering Senator Harold Travis, is a world-class scumbag. It's difficult to let your sense of justice rise to the occasion and see him acquitted of a crime for which he might be wrongfully accused. However, the evidence against him looks strong and, while in police custody, he kills his court-appointed attorney. To paraphrase Tom Sawyer's Aunt Polly, he wouldn't miss a lick if he rode the lightning, even if it was for the wrong crime. There accordingly isn't a lot of tension for any sort of race against time to find the real killer. On top of that, Travis is an extortionist and a murderer in his own right, so his death is not going to elicit any particular sympathy, one way or the other. When Jaffe is requested by the court to take over his defense, it looks like an uphill battle for her. When she begins to investigate Dupre's alibi and claims of innocence, however, she is pressured --- violently --- to drop her investigation and let justice take its course. What is interesting here is what the investigation ultimately uncovers, which is a conspiracy that has existed for decades and that links Travis to a mysterious group of public officials and drug lords. As Jaffe nears the surprising truth, she brings danger closer to herself and those she loves, even as the truth that she and her client is seeking comes from a totally unexpected source. Margolin's plot doesn't always hang together perfectly. The method by which the surprise ending is effected, in particular, is somewhat of a stretch and requires some suspension of disbelief, though it is ultimately quite satisfying. Overall, Margolin remains an exciting writer of great economy with the ability to keep readers turning pages as fast as they are capable of reading. TIES THAT BIND ultimately continues Margolin's unbroken string of riveting, spellbinding novels that are almost impossible to put down without finishing. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Twists, Turns, and Surprises....., April 22, 2003
When Portland, Oregon defense attorney, Amanda Jaffe, is asked by the court to defend Jon Dupre, a drug dealer and owner of an upscale escort service, her first instinct is to just say no. This case is a slam dunk for the prosecution. Dupre is accused of not only murdering a U.S. Senator, but of also stabbing and killing his high-profile, big named attorney right in the jailhouse conference room under the watchful eyes of a guard. No other lawyer will touch the case, for obvious reasons. Dupre claims he's innocent and being framed. He says his attorney came at him with the shiv, and he was only defending himself. Amanda finds one aspect of the case intriguing. Dupre's arms and hands are covered with defensive wounds that add some credibility to his story. But the obvious question hangs in the air. Why would his own attorney try to murder him? As she begins to investigate, Amanda stumbles over a connection between her client's case and some of Portland's high-powered elite that goes back thirty years. And the deeper she digs into the past, the more she comes to realize that these men will do anything to protect themselves, their secrets, and their way of life. Finding justice for Jon Dupre won't be easy, and has placed not only her life, but everyone she loves in harms way..... Buckle your seatbelt and pull it tight, Phillip Margolin is about to take you on a roller coaster of a ride. This is an action packed thriller filled with twists, turns, and more than a few surprises. Unfortunately, the story line never really rings true, is awkward at times and a bit over-the-top. When it comes to the climax and implausable ending, you definitely have to be willing to suspend disbelief. Mr Margolin's cast of too many characters tend to be one dimensional and uninspired. It's really hard to empathize or care about these people, and you almost need a scorecard to keep track of who's who and what's what. Ties That Bind is an entertaining, fast read, easily finished in one sitting. Nothing memorable. A good book for a long plane ride.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another up-all-night page-turner from Phillip Margolin., March 12, 2003
Recovering from her run-in with "The Surgeon", lawyer Amanda Jaffe still has nightmares of the traumatic experience, but she returns to work, only to defend a man accused of killing a U.S. senator. Amanda believes her clients innocence, and when he tells of having evidence that will link the senator to South American drug lords, she knows she must investigate. The deeper Amanda becomes involved in this case, the deeper she throws herself into danger, as she will be forced to face a world of sex, escorts, lies, murder and a political conspiracy that has involved high-ranking judges, and public officials for over thirty years. As the powerful men behind the plan close in on her, Amanda makes a shocking discoveryone that has a direct path to the presidency. Ties That Bind is another powerful shocker from master thrill writer Phillip Margolin. Combining legal thrills with the dark underside of the political world, Ties That Bind grabs you from the first page and holds you captive with each murder, plot twist and shocking discovery. As with all Margolin novels the writing is clean, the plotting razor sharp and the pace super-fast, and of course a surprise ending. Phillip Margolin, a lawyer-turned-author, remains one of my favorite authors, he never strays from what he does best; writing great thrillers. Each new novel is action packed and full of thrills and Ties That Bind is no differentits intricately plotted with twists galore so expect to see this at the top of the best-seller lists. Nick Gonnella
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