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Critic's Corner
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THE FIRST
COUNSEL Reviewed by: Patricia Ann Jones "I'm afraid of heights, snakes, normalcy, mediocrity, Hollywood, the initial silence of an empty house, the enduring darkness of a poorly lit street, evil clowns, professional failure, the intellectual impact of Barbie dolls, letting my father down, being paralyzed, hospitals, doctors, the cancer that killed my mother, dying unexpectedly, dying for a stupid reason, dying painfully, and, worst of all, dying alone. But I'm not afraid of power—which is why I work in the White House." The above quote from "The First Counsel," introduces Michael Garrick, 29-year-old lawyer, and protagonist of Meltzer's unique political thriller. In his previous novels, "The Tenth Justice," and "Dead Even," Meltzer, a lawyer-turned- author, breathed new life into the legal thriller genre. Both of these novels landed on the New York Times bestseller list. "The First Counsel" is the author's most suspenseful novel in that it shows readers what it's like to date the President's daughter. Nora Hartson, the President's daughter, is a 22-year-old college graduate who returns to the White House to live with her parents. In contrast to Garrick's serious side, Nora is shallow, haunted by her family's fame and some events in her life she cannot reconcile. Her code name is "Shadow." This fits her personality well. Rumors follow Nora closer than the Secret Service agents assigned to her. She's on drugs some say, she is mentally unbalanced, weird, a person to steer clear of, but Michael Garrick, knowing all this, is mesmerized by the black haired, green-eyed beauty. Who can blame him? The girl loves a challenge, she's fearless, smug, sassy, and just this side of psychological wildness. In short, the girl is captivating. Meltzer, using Michael and Nora as his stepping stones, shows readers what it's like to date the President's daughter. As the story evolves, he weaves deep into the legal and ethical labyrinth of the White House, where power is an aphrodisiac . . . and everyone is watching. As a White House attorney, Michael works in an atmosphere of intense secrecy and scrutiny, but dating Nora takes him into places he's never thought to enter. The young couple long for even a few moments of privacy. When they finally achieve their moments alone, they wish they hadn't. On a rare spree of freedom, the two see Edgar Simon, White House counselor, in the Pendulum, a gay bar! They follow Simon when he leaves the bar and learn he's leaving a packet with a large amount of money in a hidden spot just off a lonely parkway. All that transpires afterward leads to a story of political blackmail, intrigue, and murder. A murder for which Michael is framed. The first chapters of this novel leave you feeling like you're in an adrenaline bath with every spigot open. Ensuing chapters are almost as taut, taking you into incident upon layered incident of ever increasing suspense. The characters you meet in the Counsel's office are well drawn and you end up not knowing who to trust. Michael's only hope to prove his innocence is to find the real killer and uncover a secret insider plot that could bring down the president. He has to decide—can he trust Nora, or is she part of the plot to destroy him? Meltzer moves you through various White House offices, hallways, and mysterious passageways, and secret rooms. My first thought was, is this real? How does he know about such places? Then, in a written interview with Meltzer, I discovered that his writing is based on extensive research. He says, "You can invent all the stuff you want, but if it doesn't smell real, readers will know in a nanosecond . . . To me, fiction is at its best when it has one foot in reality. That's why I need to go out and see the places myself. I need to see what they look like, and smell like, and taste like . . . and those details drive the ideas. Everything else is a gift from God." He goes on to say that research and interviews with White House insiders, current and former—including a former First Daughter, offered him unique insight into life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. His research turned up the "Monroe" exit route from the family quarters, and that was a real eye-opener. It seems that people are genuinely open once they realize you're writing fiction and not looking for an expose. At least that is Meltzer's experience. Some critic's comment that Meltzer is not as skillful in characterization as he is in plotting. I disagree. Call me cynical, but it wasn't a giant leap of logic to accept the depicted sociopathic tendencies of some people in the president's inner circle—or even in his family. As for escaping the scrutiny of an FBI investigation during a president's rise to power, watch your TV sets. Every news broadcast from CNN proves "stuff" happens. Some people are snared in the trap, but just as many escape and go on to become important figures upon America's political stage. "The First Counsel," is a rip-roaring page turner. I loved it, and believe readers will push it right onto all the best sellers' lists. Click Here to Order The First Counsel
(Jones is a published writer & literary critic) To discuss this review with the author, Patricia A. Jones, visit her in our message boards. |
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