The First Counsel

The First Counsel is one of the best books I have read in a long time. This is the first Meltzer book I've read, and as is usually the case, the first book by an author is usually my favorite since you don't have any clue as to how the author writes or where he is going with the story.This book truly was a page turner and very easy to read. Instead of telling us, Meltzer uses a lot of dialogue to keep the story moving quickly. Authors like James Patterson are easy to read but his novels are so short. When I read Scott Turow, just a few pages wore me out. The First Counsel is full of twists and turns and substance and easy to read 60 to 70 pages at a time.The opening chapter had me hooked. White House lawyer Michael Garrick is dating the president's daughter Nora. They elude the secret service and see Garrick's boss Edgar Simon at a gay bar. Simon then drives out into the forest to make a drop of $40,000. Nora and Michael go exploring and Nora takes some of the money. From there a murder is committed and the evidence keeps mounting against Michael.I enjoyed this book so much because most of the action revolved around the White House, which seemed very intriguing to me. The First Daugher Nora was also a great character. She just wanted to live a normal life but had so many flaws. As the book draws to an end, we have to see if Michael can figure out who is trying to frame him and keep from getting killed. We also have to see how Michael and Nora's relationship worked out. I admit that I liked this book because the idea of dating the president's daughter seemed cool to me. The idea of any kind of outsider having access to the White House is intriguing.This is one of those books where getting to the end is half the fun. Meltzer takes the reader on a great ride. The climax is believable and exciting and well written. It has a few twists and also sheds some doubt onto Nora's character and all of her previous actions. I just finished reading the book a few minutes ago, so I haven't yet decided yet what kind of person Nora truly is. Is she a sympathetic victim or an evil manipulator, or both?I've read a few reviews that have criticized this book. Maybe Meltzer's other books aren't as good as this one, but I'm definitely going to read them. I was surprised at how much I became involved with the outcome of the story. I recommend this book to anyone.

This story involving the totally out of control sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll daughter of a sitting president is completely over the top, and yet it works in a big way. Michael Garrick, a young White House lawyer, has begun dating Nora Hartson, the president's daughter, as the novel begins. Because of a wild and seemingly spontaneous action on Nora's part as they are out one night, Michael and Nora witness something they should never have seen, something inexplicable, something which embroils them both in a dangerous situation from which there may be no escape. Michael's chief concern at the outset is protecting Nora and her reputation, while Nora's motives and concerns remain both ambiguous and enigmatic. When Michael finds a White House co-worker dead in her office, it soon becomes apparent that he has inadvertently stumbled upon a scheme involving blackmail and murder. As evidence is skillfully manipulated to implicate Michael in both the blackmail plot and murders, Nora is reluctant to alibi him even as she continues to play with his emotions and promises that she won't let him go down. But can she be trusted? The pace is positively breakneck as the evidence against Michael continues to pile up and he realizes that he can trust no one because someone -- perhaps his lover, perhaps his boss, or perhaps his best friend -- has set him up from the beginning. By the last quarter of the book, Michael is on the run from the FBI and the Secret Service, frantically searching for any shred of evidence which will clear him. The ending is an absolute shocker and, unlikely premise notwithstanding, I enjoyed this thriller immensely from beginning to end.

Audiobook aficionados may well remember the sterling readings by Scott Brick of "The Lion's Game" and "The Ice Limit." He's every bit as effective with his rendering of this mesmerizing tale of D.C. intrigue. Michael Garrick, a promising young White House lawyer, is more than attracted to the President's daughter, Nora. While the path to true love has never run smooth, this path for Michael soon proves to be land mined with insurmountable obstacles. There's a sinister plan afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue masterminded by a White House insider. When Michael and Nora accidentally witness something better not seen, the attorney finds himself locked in a struggle for his very life. Scott Brick's suspense laced reading adds luster to this timely thriller.

Meltzer has penned a master thriller with "The First Counsel." This is better than anything Grisham has ever written. Meltzer throws the reader right in with a bang of a first chapter...and things only get more intense after that. The characters are extremely intriguing, and I felt as if I had my own White House badge...as Meltzer took me inside the White House for a detailed portrayal of how things really work. We get a view of old-fashioned politics...all wrapped up in a thrilling, suspenseful, action-packed novel. The plot is strong, with plenty of twists, and it doesn't let up from beginning to end.This is Meltzer's best yet. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes to read action-packed books and/or political and legal thrillers.

I have read Mr. Meltzer's previous book, Dead Even, and was disappointed. That is why, with some trepidation, I decided to try his newest novel. I could not be more pleased. Meltzer has really grown as an author. He no longer goes for the cheap laugh or stunt and has created and intelligent,intricate, thriller that also takes you into the "backstage" of the White House.This is truly an enjoyable book and I highly recommend it.