The First Counsel

January 1, 2001
A date with the president's daughter draws an ambitious young lawyer into a bewildering web of scandal, extortion and murder in this formulaic but lightning-paced suspense thriller set behind the scenes at the White House. Michael Garrick works for Edgar Simon, counsel to the president, and knows the inside workings of Washington and the precarious image-management duties of the First Family. But he finds himself quickly out of his depth on a date with the volatile First Daughter, Nora Hartson, when the two see Michael's boss in a gay bar. Nora insists on following the married lawyer, and the two witness Simon making a suspicious cash drop. Subsequent events link Michael to the cash and the murder of Caroline Penzler, friend of the First Lady and the lawyer who has the dirt on all the big shots. With his career, a presidential election and perhaps his life at stake, Michael cannot trust anyone, least of all Nora, who is dogged by rumors of drug use, promiscuity and general wildness. She is the only witness to his innocence, but he is intent on protecting her, and the president, from suspicion. Meltzer (The Tenth Justice; Dead Even) sprinkles his tale with many interesting details of working in and around the White House. He relies on some heavy-handed techniques to generate suspenseDMichael is always sensing someone watching him or peering through slowly opening doorsDand the plot has a familiar Hollywood ring to it. But Meltzer's relentless narrative finally digs its hooks in, and even skeptical readers will want to continue through the twists and turns, if only to confirm their own predictions. Agent, Jill Kneerim.

September 15, 2000
What is the most dangerous thing a young White House attorney can do? Stumble upon a conspiracy while out on a date with the President's daughter.

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2000
Attorney/author Meltzer offers us a novel of conspiracy and skulduggery at the highest levels of Washington's power structure. Michael Young, an idealistic lawyer in the White House counsel's office, is on a date with Nora, the very sexy, intriguing, enigmatic daughter of the president, when they see the chief counsel in a compromising position. Nora's questionable behavior quickly throws them into the middle of a plot that involves blackmail and murder, with every indication of guilt pointing directly at our hero. Is it concern about reelection that keeps Nora from coming forward or a desire to make things worse? Her strong propensity for danger and risk and serious problem with truth do nothing to prevent Michael, ever the boy scout, from risking everything he has to shield her mostly from herself. He runs afoul of the FBI, mistrusts his friends, and consorts with known criminals all in an effort to save his reputation and life as well as preserve the well-being of his father (a unique character to say the least). Although this novel breaks no new literary ground, the Washington color and scenery and the unusual cast of characters take it a step above your average page-turner and will keep you reading until the startling conclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)

June 4, 2001
A man faces a lot of pressure when dating the first daughter of the U.S., especially if she is sexy, rebellious and maybe a little bit crazy like Nora Hartson. But young White House lawyer Michael Garrick thinks he is up to the task. Their first date begins with a wild car chase to shake off Nora's ever-present Secret Service tail and ends when Nora and Michael see something they were never meant to see—something that will put Michael's career, and his life, in danger. As witnesses to an ever-widening conspiracy, Michael and Nora find themselves tangled in a web of intrigue and under suspicion for murder. As the pressure increases, Nora makes herself scarce; when she does surface, she seems even more vulnerable and crazed, leaving Michael to decide if she is, in fact, part of the conspiracy or, like him, a victim of it. As he tries to make sense of the trap surrounding him, he finds himself not knowing whom, if anyone, to trust. Sweeney's reading is the perfect match for Meltzer's fast-paced and witty writing. With a raspy voice reminiscent of a young Martin Sheen, Sweeney brings to life Michael's anxious cockiness in a palpable manner. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Forecasts, Nov. 6, 2000).

October 15, 2000
With his third thriller (after The Tenth Justice and Dead Even), Meltzer has concocted another winner. While on a date with the President's daughter, White House attorney Michael Garrick believes he may have stumbled onto a blackmail scheme involving his direct supervisor. All is not what it appears in this tale of deception and cover-ups, however, and the plot intensifies as Garrick's search for the truth quickly entangles him in a murder investigation as the prime suspect. As is common in his work, Meltzer shows how easily solvable problems can become insurmountable when trust among colleagues and friends yields to suspicion and doubt. One might quibble that Garrick's romantic interest in the First Daughter is distracting and difficult to fathom, given her unseemly behavior, but otherwise, this is an engrossing and suspenseful novel that allows the reader to glimpse life inside the White House. For all public libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/00.]--Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.