Ties That Bind (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Phillip Margolin (Author) "United States Senator Chester Whipple, Republican from South Carolina, a staunch soldier of God, did not drink, a fact he regretted as he paced back..." (more)
Key Phrases: contact visiting room, contact room, defense wounds, Jon Dupre, Ally Bennett, Wendell Hayes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bestselling author Phillip Margolin brings back Portland lawyer Amanda Jaffe for a repeat performance (after Wild Justice) in this mystery about a group of college killers who grow into a cadre of powerful political and business leaders bent on keeping their boyhood adventures concealed--as well as their present-day connection with a gang of cutthroat South American drug lords. There's big biotech money involved, enough to keep the so-called Vaughn Street Glee Club intent on making sure anyone who knows about their plans is silenced. Permanently, if necessary. It's up to Amanda to unmask the reason why the Glee Club is so anxious for her client Jon Dupre, the accused killer of a U.S. senator, to go down for murder. And what she learns about the lengths to which they'll go to keep their secrets, including killing members of their own family, threatens her life as well. Margolin strings a clumsy plot on a weak thread--why three affluent college boys become killers is never adequately explained--and the heroine, whose dogged perseverance is admirable, is otherwise too boring to capture the reader's interest. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

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.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: HarperTorch; 1st THUS edition (February 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060083255
• ISBN-13: 978-0060083250
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #481,725 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Margolin has written another page turner, despite some flaws, March 15, 2003

By	Bookreporter.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ties That Bind (Margolin, Phillip) (Hardcover)

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

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another up-all-night page-turner from Phillip Margolin., March 12, 2003

By	Nick Gonnella - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Ties That Bind (Margolin, Phillip) (Hardcover)

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

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Twists, Turns, and Surprises....., April 22, 2003

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Ties That Bind (Margolin, Phillip) (Hardcover)

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.