|
[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
In 1970, three Oregon prep school students approach a low-level drug dealer named Pedro Aragon. Smelling a big score, Pedro agrees to meet with them at a drug den and make a deal. On the night of the meeting, a rival drug gang arrives uninvited to the party and threatens to kill everyone in the room. Seeing the three boys, the dealers thought that they were dealing with naïve white bread chums. In a moment of deceit the student kill the rival gang and execute their leader earning the respect of Aragon. They all run away into the night, but from that day, The Vaughn Street Glee Club was formed. The initiation is murder. Thirty years later, the group has gotten bigger and more ambitious. Judges, police, lawyers, politicians among others form the Club, and they are pulling the strings in the governments election. Their presence is demonstrated in just the first couple of chapters in the book. No one knows the identity of its members and they intend to keep it that way. Republican senator Harold Travis is a part of the Glee Club and he is his party's nominee for President of the United States. On one night of debauchery, Travis kills a prostitute earning the wrath of Jon Dupre, owner of Exotic Escorts. He was seen publicly facing off with the senator and threatening to kill him. The next night, the senator is found bludgeoned to death. Dupre is arrested and about to go on trial. He has secretly been accumulating information on the Glee Club and they want it badly. They are ready to make things their way to get what they want, including murder. If you are familiar with the works of this particular author, you can expect a few surprises and a nice twist. TIES THAT BIND is no exception to the rule. Phillip Margolin, author of the magnificent GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN and AFTER DARK, brings a story of a huge political conspiracy where they know they can get away with anything since everyone has their price. The one thing they did not count on was the dogged determination of defense attorney Amanda Jaffe, first introduced in WILD JUSTICE, and firm investigator Kate Ross (THE ASSOCIATE). The book is filled with unexpected turns that always make this author a delight to read. Just when you think you have it figured out, Margolin throws you a curve ball. The main problem with the book is with the character of Amanda Jaffe. She made a brief appearance in THE ASSOCIATE and was traumatized by the events in WILD JUSTICE for which the author refers quite a bit too. The author tries not to give too much away but if you read between the lines you might be able to figure a few things out. It is not essential to read the past in order to understand the present, but it could not hurt. If you have yet to try a Margolin novel or one of his short stories, you are in for a treat. You will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by Angel L. Soto, April 2003
[ Top ]
QUICK SEARCH:
Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]
|
