The Associate
by Phillip Margolin
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A mesmerizing tale of deceit and criminal stealth in the high-stakes world of pharmaceutical research from Phillip Margolin, the New York Times bestselling master of the courtroom thriller. Daniel Ames is living the American dream. Though born into poverty and living on the streets by the age of fifteen, Daniel has overcome every obstacle -- and now is an associate at Reed, Briggs, Portland's most prestigious law firm, earning more money than he ever imagined possible. But when Aaron Flynn show more enters his life, Daniel finds himself caught between his towering ambition and his bedrock idealism. Flynn, a charismatic civil litigator, sues Geller Pharmaceuticals -- Reed, Briggs's biggest client -- for manufacturing a drug that he claims causes unspeakable birth defects. Daniel is certain the claim has no merit -- until a memo written by a Geller scientist is found, detailing the shocking results of a study that implicates the company in a horrific lie. Could Daniel unwittingly be helping Geller cover up a dark secret? As he begins to investigate, his world comes tumbling down around him. His work is sabotaged, he's accused of professional incompetence, and he's fired. Twelve hours later the man who fired him is murdered. Daniel is arrested. With help from two women, including lawyer Amanda Jaffe (whom we met in Wild Justice), Daniel scrambles to clear his name and save his reputation -- and in the process unearths a trail of deceit that leads back to a series of unsolved kidnappings seven years earlier. But someone doesn't want this trail explored, and Daniel becomes the target of a vicious killer who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from being revealed. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
All I know is that I don’t see how Daniel could have gotten a job at this law firm. He’s a milque-toast! He’s wimpy and unsure of his every move. He can’t read people and frankly, doesn’t seem too bright. He’s always having his ass saved by someone else. Sure, he’s a boy scout, but that isn’t an asset in this story. So that's the first clue that screams SET UP!
The characterizations were thin and the dialogue didn’t ring true. There was a fight (verbal) between to women and it didn’t seem heated at all. And when the bad guys talked, it was as if they were all Yalies or something.
The story was also a bit transparent. It was obvious that there was an insider at Reed Briggs. The author tried to make you go for one show more person, but she was too obvious. I was surprised who it turned out to be, but who she really was, wasn’t a surprise. show less
The characterizations were thin and the dialogue didn’t ring true. There was a fight (verbal) between to women and it didn’t seem heated at all. And when the bad guys talked, it was as if they were all Yalies or something.
The story was also a bit transparent. It was obvious that there was an insider at Reed Briggs. The author tried to make you go for one show more person, but she was too obvious. I was surprised who it turned out to be, but who she really was, wasn’t a surprise. show less
Margolin has some pretty nifty plots and this is sure one of them. Dan Ames is an associate in a big Portland law firm - his dream job and he loses it because he volunteered to help and got scapgoated. But, that's just the beginning of this tale of murder and law suits and murder and who's doing what to whom. It sometimes gets a little too tricky but is, overall, a good ride.
Good story. The romance was a little lame, but the main character was likeable enough.
The Chicago Tribune summed up this book accurately and succinctly: "Twisted and brilliant." Margolin seems to have knack just about when a reader thinks they have the plot figured out, it takes a huge twist. One does need some means of keeping track of all the characters, and this one was especially hard with the scene shifting half through and another mystery developing.
This book captured my attention from page 1 - I couldn't put it down. A prestigious law firm tries to uncover the truth behind a pharmaceutical company's manufacturing of a drug that may be causing unimaginable birth defects. If you like a good legal thriller- I highly recommend this book or any book by author Philip Margolin.
Excellent read. I haven't read anything else by Margolin but I am impressed with this book.
It's fun to read
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Author Information
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Philip Margolin was born in New York City in 1944. He received a bachelor's degree in government from The American University in 1965. From 1965 to 1967, he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia. He graduated from New York University School of Law in 1970. From 1972 until 1996, he was in private practice in Portland, Oregon, specializing in show more criminal defense. He has tried many high profile cases and has argued in the Supreme Court. He was the first attorney to use the battered woman's syndrome defense in a homicide case in Oregon. His first novel, Heartstone, was published in 1978. He has been a full-time author since 1996. His other works include The Last Innocent Man; Gone, But Not Forgotten; After Dark; The Burning Man; The Undertaker's Widow; Wild Justice; The Associate; Sleeping Beauty; Capitol Murder and Sleight of Hand. He also writes short stories and non-fiction articles in magazines and law journals. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2001
- People/Characters
- Daniel Ames; Kate Ross
- Important places
- Portland, Oregon, USA
- Dedication
- For Daniel and Chris
My son and his new wife - two terrific people on the threshold of a terrific life together - First words
- Prologue
An icy wind whipped down Mercer Street, rattling awnings, scattering paper scraps and raking Gene Arnold's cheeks raw. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The idea of resisting never entered his mind.
- Blurbers
- Penzler, Otto
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- 45,971
- Reviews
- 9
- Rating
- (3.43)
- Languages
- 7 — Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 32
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 10
