Book Review: The First Counsel

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

The First Counsel     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Brad Meltzer
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Political Intrigue
Coronet, 2001, 489 pp.

Michael Garrick is working at the White House as a lawyer and he has a girlfriend. However, this is a girlfriend with a difference - she's the First Daughter, the daughter of the President of the United States. One evening, they both see something they shouldn't which quickly spirals out of control and becomes a major threat.

Like all of Brad Meltzer's thrillers, 'The First Counsel' is an exciting read. It is quite long, but Meltzer puts in enough excitement to keep the reader's attention throughout. His characters are well-crafted, although the strange behaviour of Nora, the First Daughter, makes her somewhat hard to understand.

Meltzer takes the intricate workings of the White House and tries hard to give us a thrilling, contemporary view of life within its legal department. He manages to include a lot of surprises and the ending is certainly unexpected, due to the number of false clues and tricks within.

Overall, 'The First Counsel' is another success for Meltzer and proof that his success is deserved and will hopefully continue into the future. He is capable of writing great thrillers and should undoubtedly be considered a rising star in this genre.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Luke Croll - Conference interpreter and translator
http://lukecroll.translatorscafe.com