The First Counsel

If you are willing to jettison incredulity over unconvincing characters, and jump straight into plot, this thriller may not disappoint. The plot is certainly thick with suspense,and Washington DC connaisseurs in particular might be thrilled to recognize many local references. Meandering through the passages of the White House and Old Executive Office, vividly described in the first voice of the main character, the reader almost gets a virtual tour of rooms and offices rarely accessible to the general public : "Lucky for both of us, we have first-floor office - whcih means we also have the shortest walk to the West Wing..." "The second floor of the West Wing houses some of the best hig-powered offices, including the First Lady's personal office and the one imnmediately to my right...." "Instead, we stop at the closed door of the main conference room....where Kennedy's staff weighed in on the Cuban Missile crisis..."
(Little wonder that some reviews of the novel report a vicarious sense of proximity to the White House. After putting down the novel, and fresh with the images of its unmistakable setting, I was persuaded, after fourteen years of working within a one to two block radius of the White House, to consider joining one of the public tours offered daily.)
The novel centers on the relationship of a young White House staffer, working in the office of the White House Counsel (the President's legal adviser), and the First Daughter. The latter's quixotic, if also mentally disturbed persona, makes for the most memorable character in the novel. The plot ably combines a succesion of suspense-raising developments, each adding a new layer to a growing mystery -- a late night exchange of funds in the proverbial brown envelope witnessed by the two main characters; the mysterious death of another White House staffer; the curious relationship of the President's daughter to an old family friend who is also one of the White House aides; and an ex-convict's logged visit to the White House. Given the scope of the plot and its political implications in real world, you might be surprised to discover that characters you would otherwise expect to figure prominently - like the President and First Lady - appear only episodically.
Other than requiring almost 500 pages of perserverance, this thriller is mentally undemanding. In retrospect, I thought of better ways I could have spent my July 4th weekend. The engaging mystery did not dispel my sense of a plot animated by cardboard characters who seemed out of place, not only in the real world, but also in the microcosm of this thriller.

Review Summary: If you like fast-paced action about ambition, intrigue, and scandal in the corridors of power, The First Counsel will appeal to you. The book's main character is the White House itself, described in loving detail that puts you inside all portions of that venerable mansion as well as the Executive Office Building. The characters and the plot didn't quite work for me, but the action writing kept pulling me forward to the book's end. In particular, the romance between Michael Garrick, a legal staffer, and Nora Hartson, the president's daughter, didn't seem real. Their relationship was more annoying than intriguing as well. The plot assumes extremely myopic parenting on the part of the First Family that strained credibility with me.
Review: Twenty-nine year old lawyer, Michael Garrick is an attorney in the office of the White House counsel. This group provides the president with legal advice about ethics and the propriety of upcoming appointments and legislation. He's there because he "has a fear of mediocrity" and enjoys the whiffs of power floating around him. His father is retarded (an I.Q. of 66) and lives in a group home. Garrick plays a role as care planner for his father. His mother had earlier died of cancer. Although he has a living father, he has the need to take care of himself that an orphan does.
Michael Garrick's life will never be the same after he meets Nora Hartson, the president's daughter at a reception. As a result, they go out on what starts to be a date and ends up as checking out Garrick's boss when they find him in an unlikely setting.
Nora is the other "orphan" of the story whose parents are living. The First Family has been so caught up in politics that the parents pay little attention to Nora, and in fending for herself she has stumbled. The novel develops the story of how this occurred.
The action scenes involve plot lines that would never have occurred to me. Being surprised, I found myself compelled to follow through to the end of the scene because I had no idea of how it might turn out. At the scene's resolution, a new plot complication would occur that kept me intrigued. As a result, I cannot recall a book that caused me to keep reading as much as this one while bothering me about the characters and the plot itself. Think of the story as being like Indiana Jones at the White House escaping the bad guys. In these scenes, Mr. Meltzer overdoses on action verbs so be prepared to feel your heart racing!
The dialogue is very repetitive and annoying. If you took out all of the dialogue that involved "Shut up!" "Don't lie to me" "What?" and "I don't believe it" the book would be much shorter. This isn't verbal sparring. This is like having a bad dream that won't go away. I felt a headache coming on at several points as the relentless SHOUTING got to me.
The world that is portrayed is a pretty ugly one. People in the White House are rarely interested in anything other than power and being stroked. Everyone has serious skeletons to hide in their closets and fears having them revealed. Friendships are little more than helping one another get along politically or for career advancement. The mood varies with the poll numbers.
My biggest complaint is that the story relies on characters having lots of access to illegal drugs, while assuming that no one cares enough to investigate where they are coming from. That made no sense to me.
My second biggest complaint is that the resolution involves unlikely behavior by the authorities. No explanation is given for a quick change of heart by the investigators other than the remote testimony of one witness. The physical processes to clear a suspect in such situations would normally take several days, and there is no indication that they were used.
Perhaps the reason this book works well enough to get you through to the end is that we already have such a low view of politics and politicians.
What would happen if we suddenly expected politics and politicians to be high-minded most of the time? How would we reform the system that few of us like, except when it isn't working? Or, are we better off being protected by stalemate while ambitious souls will be tempted by power? What do you think?
Do the right thing . . . and the reward will be a lasting sense of self-esteem!

Brad Meltzer is the perfect answer to anyone who thought, "Who's next after Grisham, Turow or Martini?" With just two books to his name, the suspense thrillers The Tenth Justice & Dead Even, Meltzer's The First Counsel keeps the same magic that readers have found enthralling.
This time around, Meltzer takes us into the life of a young White House lawyer - Michael Garrick. Life is normal & fine (as fine as a normal day in the White House can be) until he catches the attention of Nora Hartson, daughter of the President of The United States.
On a date one night, the couple witnesses something they were never meant to see, & suddenly Garrick is caught up in a conspiracy & entangled in a web of deceit. The next day a senior White House Counsel is found dead, & it dawns on Michael that he is becoming the prime suspect in the case.
As he becomes a pawn in someone else's hand, the young lawyer fights back - risking his job & his life. What follows is a breathtaking journey in a fight for survival, where Garrick tackles power politics & exposes corruption & blackmail in the upper echelons in the White House.
The First Counsel is a chiller thriller of the first order. Meltzer's eye for detail, especially while describing the White House, its behind the scenes activities, etc. is commendable. In terms of action & suspense, it stands right along with Grisham's The Firm.
What makes The First Counsel different from other political thrillers is the author's description of the personal life vis-à-vis the public life & image of the White House players. The harrowing account of the life of a First Daughter & the pressure of maintaining a public image, are brought out in a soft yet succinct style.
While dealing with power politics & the White House, comparisons with Tom Clancy's political thrillers are inevitable, The First Counsel is as good as any Clancy & Meltzer has done a superb job. I will not be surprised if a movie based on this thriller soon hits the silver screen.
After reading The First Counsel, I am sure of one thing, whatever the glamour & the glitz of life in power, life sure is better outside the White House than inside!
The First Counsel is enjoyable, highly enjoyable!

Imagine yourself being at the top of your class in law school, starting your career in a "white shoe" law firm, working in a presidential campaign and then being rewarded with an office in the White House and the title of Deputy Counsel to the President of the United States. Pretty heady stuff even for the best and brightest. But then, find yourself flirting with the First Daughter at a social function, making a date with her, trying to ditch the Secret Service escort to please and impress the First Daughter and prove that lawyers can be cool too, and before you know it you have entered a world where no schooling or training could prepare you for what would happen next. Brad Meltzer catapults Deputy Counsel to the President, Michael Garrick, into the White House residence where drugs, deception and bribery operate like it's a banana republic after the First Daughter, Nora Hartson, enters his life. Meltzer knows how to snare his readers with a plot and characters that run to a finale the reader can't wait to reach. Code names, security badges that give access to only the most connected and briefing time with the President become the literary devices that give the plot credibility. While we might be disappointed if these characters actually inhabited the West Wing, Meltzer can get away with a storyline that seems so unlikely because we all have grown accustomed to less than perfection in those who serve at the highest levels of government. You'll finish this book quickly and want the next book from Meltzer who is the envy of every young associate toiling away at their law firm writing briefs instead of novels.

After suffering through the escapades of our last president (...) and then having to endure another 40 some odd days of bent and dimpled chads I was ready for something other than a story about a President of the United States. Fortunate I came across a novel titled $oft Money. A wonderful story about, none other than, a sitting President refreshed my enthusiasm to read more stories about the sordid lives of our elected kings. I'd been given Brad Meltzer's book but had put it aside, for the aforementioned reasons. Needless to say I was apprehensive when I first waded into this story. I had read the reviews that ran the gamut from one star to five stars.
In a nutshell a young man, Michael, dates the somewhat wild and rebellious daughter of the President. The two people observe the strange behavior of a white house aid while they are on a date. Someone gets murdered and the daughter suddenly becomes unavailable to the young man. Michael becomes the suspect and he's left to prove his own innocence.
I enjoyed the premise of the story. And I found it refreshing that Meltzer chose to focus his story on a sibling of the great man rather than on the great man himself. Reviews show a range of bad to good for this offering from Brad Metzler. No one can agree. But then again what two people ever agree on anything, even on something as simple as say...a good cigar? My advice is to buy the book and make your own decision. For what it's worth I enjoyed the book.

Meltzer's gift in First Counsel is his intricate, too-detailed-to-be-false accounts of the insides of the White House. Between the intricate details of the rooms inside the white house, the details about staffers, the OEOB (Old Executive Office Building), and White House life in general, you'll get a kick out of feeling like you're really there.
The problem is that Meltzer expects your awe at the inner workings of the White House to overshadow his failures at character building. Suspension of disbelief doesn't begin to address the incredible leaps he asks you to make. The first daughter who may or may not have a serious drug problem, the brilliant assistant counsel who nevertheless is incapable of believing anyone around him is capable of selfish actions (where was he during a political campaign?), and the cardboard cutout characters who surround the two - they are all too difficult to accept.
On more than one occasion, you'll feel as if you're listening to the retellings of a night out of a gang of overprivileged high school students with too much spare time. Meltzer tries to humanize Garrick, the assistant counsel, by giving him a retarded father and a painful childhood. You'll spend 90% of the book thinking Nora is abusive, controlling, and overly carefree... only to have the rug yanked out from under you - in a terribly manipulative manner.
If you have an eye for plot twists, you'll see the ending coming from a mile away. In spite of the amazing odds against him, Garrick nevertheless manages to find a way out... with tragic consequences for everyone else around.
I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the White House, and you have to give credit to Meltzer for doing his homework. I just wish he'd made more of an attempt to give his characters more believable, intelligent actions.

This was my first Meltzer experience. I found this book boring and slow paced with a shallow plot. For some reason I couldn't connect with the characters although the author tried hard to make them sympathetic. This was a chore to read and, at the end, left me wondering why I did. While on vacation a few years back, someone at the swimming pool recommended Meltzer. Maybe I just picked a bad one. I'll give one more a try before abandoning all hope.

My purpose for writing this review is not to tell the plot and what I thought about it. After this many reviews, that type of review might be better served on a chat board. My purpose is to let you know whether or not you might want to shell out your hard-earned cash for this book. (This was my first book that I read by Brad Meltzer, so take what I say with a grain of salt.)
So, the question is, do you want to buy this book? If you are going on a long trip or have lots of hours to while away the time, sure, go for it.
If your purpose is to read a good mystery--you might want to buy it. Meltzer does about as good a job as the average mystery writer these days. Or, you can buy two books with half the pages and enjoy two mysteries instead of one long one.
I was interested in The First Counsel up to a point. But 509 pages is quite a long tale. I got tired of it about page 298.
The story felt like the author put it down once in awhile and forgot where he was going with it. The ending did not make any sense to me at all. It felt like the author picked a character at the end of the book and said, "OK, you be the bad guy now." It didn't feel like a twist; it just felt wrong. There were too many clues that did not point to the actual killer. You could not fathom why the killer did what he did or figure out how he was privy to so much information.
The book has the feel of a thriller movie script with too much repeat action.
Like I said, though, if you like a long story, this will fit the bill.
What I did not like:
1. The countless references to the human body and its functions (way to much of that).
2. There are way-too-many Germanisms: you know, hyphenated modifiers like: His not-very-cool dad wore his 1960s-hippy-poncho-thingy and his red-hot-and-firey-don't-you-know-there's-not-another-pair-like-it-in-the-whole-wide-world-anymore-count-your-lucky-stars checkered slacks.
What I did like:
The author told a lot of details about working at the White House complex. I actually liked all that. That is a world that I know nothing about. So as far as that goes, the story took me somewhere I had never been before. Good job on that aspect of the story.
My recommendation:
Go for it at least once. I might have wanted to read another of his books, but this one's pace wore me out. I'm too old at 40 for the heart attacks. If you like fast action, this is for you.
If you want to make a movie out of it, please change the ending.
Enjoy!

Young White House attorney Michael Garrick gets more than he bargains for when he starts dating the President's daughter, Nora Hartson. The product of a phony political upbringing, Nora, in search of a 'real' life, has become a thrill-seeking schizophrenic fruitcake. Michael is mesmerized by her aura, energy, and craziness. But he is quickly suckered into a political vortex of murder, blackmail and sexual deceit.
While on a date with Michael, Nora shakes off her Secret Service detail for the fun of it. But the laughter ends when she and Michael think they have witnessed a crime by a White House insider. But what do they think they have seen, and what does it mean? As Michael starts to uncover the truth and its political consequences, powerful people set him up for the fall of his life. As a political neophyte, Michael is an amateur among the White House powerful.
THE FIRST COUNSEL is fast reading out of the blocks, then slows during the middle innings, and finishes amid suspense and a surprise ending. For a fictional work, it is an interesting and insightful look into the inner workings of the White House and the transient families that occupy it. The storyline itself is probably not plausible, but this does not diminish the enjoyment of this political love story.

Brad Meltzer's First Counsel is a densely plotted thriller. The story held my interest until the very end. The conclusion seemed forced and convenient at the same time.

I could tell that Meltzer spent time creating his characters and bringing them to life. Michael Garrick the main character has believable relationships with the other characters. Nora (the first daughter) he is just intoxicated by her. He thinks his boss the Chief White House counsel, Simon is a jerk, (who doesn't think that about the boss from time to time). Then on their first date Michael and Nora discover something about Simon that would hamper his ability to do his job in the circus of Washington D.C. politics. Well what they discovered is only a part of the truth, the rest is way worse.

Overall well written story I just didn't enjoy the climax.

The last 10 or so pages offer a clean up of loose ends that makes for a satisfying ending to the story.

Brad Meltzer wrote a wonderful book with The Tenth Justice then hit the sophomore slump with Dead Even, and with The First Counsel he tries his best to climb out of that slump. Parts of this book reminded me of the Tenth Justice in that the main character has good friends that he thinks he can trust, but then he starts doubting everyone around him. Meltzer must have done quite a bit of research to write this book because I easily found myself seeing where the characters were in
the White House, even though I have only seen pictures of the White House. We don't find out a lot about the main character until near the middle part of the book, and when we find out the info we find it all out at once. I wish Meltzer would have thrown some of that out at the start, because I just did not find the background that interesting or that surprising to know.
When I put myself in the place of the main character, which I like to do with a good book, I could see myself making some of the decisions that Michael made. But at other times I just wondered what he was thinking. Meltzer tries to surprise the reader a few times, sometimes it works, but other times I saw it coming a mile away.
Meltzer writes in a way that it will keep you interested. He keeps the dialogue sharp and most of the characters are interesting. Some of the characters he will give you just enough information so that you will suspect them. I would have given this book five stars, but the middle part drags a bit after the exciting beginning.

"First Counsel" is the first book of Meltzer's that I have read, and my first foray into fiction in a while.
Meltzer's central plot is very unique, albeit somewhat nonbelievable. The central character Michael falls for First Daughter Nora and, on their first date, gets caught up in an initially harmless scandal that immediately spirals out of control, ultimately involving several peripheral characters, none of which are developed adequately.
In the trade-off of an action-packed plot and human characters to whom the reader could relate, Meltzer clearly chose the plot. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - I couldn't put the book down - but it makes the climax all the more important, and here too I think Meltzer's efforts were sub-par.
The ending has all the qualities of a soap opera. While it was definitely a surprise, it had the feel of a cheesy made-for-TV mystery movie. Again, the momentum of the plot, which was great, came to a crashing halt at the climax, rather than a satisfying resolution. All the conspiracies, ins, and outs of the plot prove pointless in the end, which was disappointing, as it was really interesting until the end...
Maybe I just haven't read fiction in a while...

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.

This was one of the best audiobook abridgements I've listened to yet. It was four tapes long, so I imagine not a whole lot was left out, and D.B. Sweeney's voice was superb! He really has a talent for accents and voices that don't come across as stereotypes or silly.

The story itself is a solid one, a political/law thriller, with Michael Garrick being the protagonist of the tale. Michael begins dating a gal named Nora Hartson, which seems a simple enough set-up, but Nora is the daughter of the president. Code-named 'Shadow' by her secret service, the date goes wrong from the moment Michael lets her drive, and she loses her security tail. They go to a bar - which turns out to be a gay bar - and there they see Michael's married boss meeting with someone. She is anxious to follow, and Michael and Nora find that Michael's boss leaves a package in the woods. When they open it, it seems Michael's boss is delivering forty thousand dollars... to someone.

From there, the story picks up the pace, and the tension is raised, bit by bit, as more and more of Michael's attempts to figure things out lead him straight to the role of a fall-guy. Can he trust anyone he knows? Can he even trust the girl he is falling in love with? You'll have to listen to find out, but as the story twists from blackmail, to murder, to conspiracy, you'll not be let down by the plot - it's very well handled.

I'll be finding more from Meltzer.

'Nathan

This is a White House thriller I really wanted to love. The hero, Michael Garrick, is one of those up-and-coming high energy white house staffers, who, as the book opens, is on a date with the president's daughter. Exciting concept. She is, to say the least, emotionally disturbed. Unpredictable mood swings, impulsive, using drugs, takes unbelievable risks. Drags Michael into an ever thickening plot, a murder, shenanigans involving the highest levels of the White House--what more could you ask? Unfortunately the ever thickening plot is hard to follow, the characters are not believeable, the dialogue is nothing but snappy comebacks, shouting, nobody listening. There is a lot of running and hiding. The book starts off with a bang, but by the middle of the 479 pages I had to force myself to keep reading. Toward the end the pace picks up again, racing toward a slam-bang finish which feels artificial and contrived. Michael has miraculously escaped with his life and won't be going to prison, but, has he learned anything? Doubtful. This White House adventure was a big disappointment.

Starting with Meltzer's first novel, "The Tenth Justice," I've now read four of his books and am embarking on the fifth (The Zero Game). Often, when I find a new author, I read their books in the order in which they were written. With Meltzer, it honestly doesn't matter much because he starts each book with a clean slate, and has yet to resurrect any of his characters or even give them a cameo appearance in later books.

I can't quite put my finger on what it is about Meltzer's style that I find hard to digest, but he reminds me a bit of a Michael Bolton song. It is like every phrase has to be italicized and carry three exclamation points. There is just something a little too breathless and overwrought in the storytelling...as though the characters are on massive doses of adrenaline 24/7. I realize thrillers are supposed to be exciting and edge-of-your-seat, but that isn't what I'm talking about here. The pace of the story itself can be breakneck, and the plot can be suspenseful, but in almost all Meltzer's books the characters themselves are too amped up to come across as real. Frankly, there is sometimes a thin line between excitement and exhaustion, and I'm finding his books lean more towards exhausting than exciting. I'm curious to see if anyone out there shares my opinion on this after having read a couple books by Meltzer. I'm not basing this assessment on a single book, but rather as a recurring part of his style. I also find that the dialog is often overly witty...as if people aren't really talking to one another, but rather at one another...always trying to one-up each other by raising the cleverness high bar.

This particular book centers around Michael Garrick, a young White House lawyer who finds himself unexpectedly dating the President's daughter, Nora Hartson. Hartson, sick of the Secret Service shadowing her every move and depriving her of a private life, turns out to be not just a "wild child," but a near-psychopath, taking Garrick on an adrenaline-fueled ride through D.C. on their first date that ultimately ends on a deserted road where they are shocked to secretly see Garrick's boss leaving an envelope with $40,000 inside for some unseen person. Drug money? Bribery? Garrick and Hartson aren't sure, but when Hartson pockets $10,000 of the money on one of her unexplainable whims and the pair are later pulled over by the police for speeding, Garrick tries to cover for the "First Daughter" and quickly finds himself at the center of not just an investigation into stolen money, but murder as well. The rest of the book unfolds as a true "whodunnit" where Garrick doesn't know if he can trust anyone...his boss, Nora, his friends, his colleagues, the police, the FBI, or the Secret Service.

The story itself was good enough, and believable enough, but as I said in the first portion of this review, the style is my problem here - not the story. It feels a bit like listening to a 33 rpm record at 78.

I give it 3 stars - more for the story itself than for the storytelling. Actually, if I could fine tune the rating, it would be more like 2.5 stars...a C rather than a B-.

I finished this book because, heck, somebody liked it enough to give it a 5 star review, but it is bad...BAD. Poorly written, stilted dialogue, weak plot and the main characters are thoroughly unlikeable. I spent the majority of the book wanting to slap the snot out of the First Daughter and Michael. I would ask how someone employed at the highest reaches of government could be so incredibly stupid, but it is the government. I am at a loss as to why anyone would have enjoyed this book. It is flat out annoying. Even more so because I paid for it. I won't ever get that money or my time back.

I finished reading "The First Counsel" over the past weekend. Brad Meltzer didn't let the momentum down on this one! From the turning of the first pages of Chapter One, the reader is not only treated to an excellent legal thriller (in the class of John Grisham)but an inside peak of the workings of the White House and views of what the inside and living quarters would be if we could be there! The reader could tell that Mr. Meltzer had done his "homework" making the reader feel he/she was taking each step that Michael was taking! Each character had their own nuiance and validity to the story keeping the fast paced storyline going forward. This booking was a clencher as much as Mr. Meltzer's first novel, "The Tenth Justice" which was one of my favorites. My only problem with the book was it took so long in between "The First Counsel" and Mr. Meltzer's last novel, "Dead Even". I will look forward to another release in the future from this author.
I can also see the movie play out in my mind as I read along...one word-BLOCKBUSTER! I could see Anjelina Jole as Nora and Will Smith as Trey. Who would play THE character of Michael? Read and see what you think!

Michael loves Nora but she’s damaged. He struggles, she flits like a vampire bat would. Intrigue, jealousy, deception, reign. She’s exotic but dangerous but he’s focused.
There is danger in the combination that only a storm can resolve.

Young White House attorney, Michael Garrick, thinks he has it all...a great job, good friends, and the beginning of a whirlwind romance with the President's daughter.
Nora is everything Michael is not, wild, sexy, and willing to live her life dangerously.
Despite rumors of drug abuse, Michael decides to go on a date with Nora, a date that puts both on their live's in jeopardy.
While on their date, they witness Michael's boss dropping off a package in a bar he should not be...curious to know the contents of the package, the couple play detective and follow the man. Once the package is in their possesion, they find it is filled with money, and Nora decides to keep some-JUST FOR FUN, BECAUSE NO ONE WILL MISS IT...wrong!!!
Michael, racked with guilt decides to tell the White House's chief ethics advisor, only to find that his boss has already registered a complaint-about Michael, needless to say the advisor does not believe Michael's allegations.
Things go from bad, to worse for Michael...the chief advisor is found dead, and all fingers point to him as the lead suspect.
With no one to trust, and nowhere to turn, Michael Garrick must battle his boss, the media, and the FBI...if he wants to come out alive.
Everyone is guilty of something, and everyone has a secret to hide. Will Michael uncover the truth and clear his name or will he die trying?
"The First Counsel" is excellent; an entertaining romp through the corridors of power, filled with secret meetings, maniacal bad guys and twisted political schemes where no one is safe. The suspense builds chapter by chapter, exposing each new plot twist at a frenzied pace.
Brad Meltzer has written the novel that Baldacci, and Grisham should be writing. His writing is clean, characters (good and bad) are wonderful, and the pacing is perfect. Readers will be up all night to discover the secrets that await in the climax.
Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK!
A MUST read!!!
Nick Gonnella

Disappointing - literally incredible characters, even more incredible and fantastic plot. Legal thrillers are not my favourite genre having read too many Grisham novels, but I thought this would be a fresh angle to the style - I was so terribly wrong.
Michael Garrick does not seem to have matured into an adult and shows no facets of the tough politically minded person that one would have expected him to be having worked so hard to get to work for the White House. I know inevitably I start to compare the characters in this book to the West Wing cast who on average stand out as strong and credible characters.
I don't know if the intention of Mr. Meltzer was that throughout this whole book Michael lost his brain and his reasoning faculties shot down to his nether regions but I found that by the end of the book I did not even care what happened to him. The whole subplot about his misdemeanour was laughable. Trey is the only character that stood out for me - witty, sharp as a Samurai blade and loyal to a fault. By the end, the book felt like a pantomime - look behind you, this person is evil - oh no she isn't - oh yes she is. As for Pam - urghhh, yes so unoriginal she might as well have been a cardboard cut out of so many other characters you see in novel - let's move on.
Nora was such a caricature I could not even muster any sympathy for her despite her `troubles' - I had even more difficulty seeing what Michael saw in her. More disgusting was the fact that Michael overlooked every flaw in her character because he saw the `girl' that was in her - that is supposedly the basis of a stable loving relationship - treating your girlfriend like a victim and excusing every folly because of her `hard life'? Wow, if only the criminal justice system was that lenient, our jails would be empty.
One final point - I disliked the weak roles it gave all the women - they were either conniving, weak or so strong as to obscure their femininity. This is essentially a man's book as are so many legal thrillers that hit the best seller list. I am willing to give Meltzer a second chance - he has to be worth something if so many people insist on reading his work. Grisham, no worries thus far, your pulp fiction still rules in this genre.

Having never read any of Brad Meltzers books prior to this fine novel, I was intrigued when I found him popping up now and then on nationwide television to discuss the White House and the subject of the children of our Presidents (The First Daughters). It certainly piqued my interest in this book, and once I started it, I was unable to put it down. It was a pager turner of a book that never really slowed down. While so many authors have a difficult sustaining the suspense and drama for a book this size (480 pages), I found that Meltzter kept things moving even through the middle part of the book. While some of the characters could have been developed better, I found that for a 3rd novel by a young author he has done a great job of getting down the plot and even getting the reader to believe in the characters backgrounds and faults. From the main character,Michael Garrick, to Edgar Simon (the true first counsel) to all the junior White House attorneys and aids, every character played an integral part in this book. I had heard the author mention that he had spoken to every First Daughter from the LBJ presidency to the Clintons, and it certainly has paid off, as he has provided a great insight into what the life of a First Daughter or First Son must be like. Obviously not every child of a President will not be subject to the intrigue and problems of Nora, the fact of the matter is that Meltzer has brought the plight of so many children whose parents are the President and First Lady. One of the most underrated parts of the book was the First Ladies Birthday party, arranged as part a national interview, and the First Ladies reaction to her childrens present. I have a distinct feeling that he will have hit a nerve with this incident. All in all this certainly was a very fine introduction to a new author, and if his future ventures continue to build on this foundation it will not be hard to compare him to Grisham, Baldacci and Steve Martini. Hopefully Meltzer will be a name that will be added to the evergrowing list of new legal fiction authors. By the way, don't feel poorly if you missed his first two books, I am sure they will show up in print again just like Grisham's A Time To Kill eventually resurfaced much to the delight of his fans.

Meltzer has written a better book than the 10th Justice, I think. I'm a bit torn on this one. Parts of it are strong, the end is not the drawn out absurdly long climax as in the Millionaire (his best book, but the revelations are not really shattering as he intends--they are just plain creepy/disturbing. The characters are not nearly as lovable as some of his others have been. The story of Michael and his father is really cliched. Still, this book gets the White House just right--down to the clueless interns. There is a fun little touch where he references back to the 10th Justice and the Washington Herald...I read on his website that he likes to do things that to reward his fans. I still enjoy his work a great deal, but this one just didn't hit on all the right notes.

There is nothing more aggravating than whipping through an amusing and even compelling thriller and getting to the point, about 200 pages into it, when you want to wring the narrators' neck for boneheaded decisions, misplaced trust, or naivete. Then you realize that it is not the narrator, but the author who has written themselves into the proverbial corner -- that someone has to do something naive or stupid to make the plot come together. All sorts of poor judgement was necessary to construct this story. Nevertheless, if you can suspend that aggravation,it is a fun one, with relatively well drawn characters. The president's daughter is a rather incredible nutcase with a schizy-but-charming sort of pathos, and the narrators dad is by far the best character in the book. The bumbling idiocy that creates the story, though does not do honor to a character that is supposed to be smart and accomplished. If this is the best and the brightest, hide the codes for the missile silos! Loathe to give away the "whodunnit," I will simply say that the red herrings are incredibly obvious, and the ending rather far-fetched. Nevertheless, this book was a decent diversion on a cross country plane ride, and I would recommend it once it is in paperback and not quite the investment. As for the marketers who compare this to West Wing -- forget it, the store. I know West Wing, and this book is NO WEST WING.

More twists and turns than a roller coaster speeding out of control! Man oh man. This one is definitely a keeper. Brad Meltzer does it again and yet again. He's got the goods. I've read two of his earlier books as well. "The tenth Justice" and "Dead Even." Both are extremely well written and a good read. The First Counsel gives more than just a glipse into the world of 1600 Pennsylvania ave! Brad Meltzer unleashes a tale of wild car chases, blackmail, betrayal, spy versus spy, romance, deception, murder and politics! What else can you expect from a guy who graduated with honors from the University of Michigan and Columbia Law school? Nothing but the best! I dunno, but this one smells like a movie in the making. Hey, if ya got the cash, get the book!

Through this entire book all I could focus on was what a GIANT size mess the character was getting himself into. I couldn't wait for the end to see how it all came together, and most especially, how he survived. I was very, very disappointed. The ending was a copout and lead me to believe that Brad Meltzer himself couldn't write his character out of this awful situation. This was a real let down for me, as I was expecting to be breathless at the end. But, I wasn't breathless at all, I was frustrated and disappointed. It's a good story with a bad ending...I can't, in good faith, tell anyone to read it because if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have.

I am an avid reader of political fiction novels and I enjoy exploring the deep dark world of Politics. This book took me to where I like to be, inside the power that is the White House. I have read some of the comments of fellow reviewers, and could not dis-agree more. This book was fast paced, the attention to detail made me as a reader feel like I was an insider. It touched on an off limits subject, the personal life of the Presidents daughter. Mr. Meltzer has done a fantastic job portraying the power and corruption that exists in the world of Politics, and the extent that those who posses power will go to in order to protect it. Great book, and a recommended read.

Brad Meltzer has the makings of a new John Grishman. A legal thriller melded with a conspiracy story, The First Counsel delves into the depths of the White House's legal team.
A young lawyer in the counsel's office begins dating the President's daughter. The rumors that she's a sex fiend and a habitual drug user are easily overlooked when he's with such a beautiful woman. But something goes wrong, on their first date, and he finds himself in more trouble than he could have ever imagined.
The plot itself is captivating, and what really draws us in, is that the story centers around our favorite address in the world, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The most interesting thing about this book was...the reviews! How could they write in such glowing terms about such a BAD book?
In this book, Brad Meltzer has managed to turn an exciting subject (the inner workings of the White House and the First Family) into an unpleasant romp through completely unbelievable characters and happenings. Mr. Meltzer seems to have done his research by watching "West Wing" on Wednesday nights...he uses a lot of the side comments from the show to demonstrate his deep knowledge of the subject (POTUS--'President of the United States' for the uninitiated) and draw from many of the physical scenes for background.
The story involves a love interest who is completely un-lovable, trusted confidants who are completely un-trustworthy and a whole lot of red herrings (not interesting red herrings, mind you, just taking up space--do authors still get paid by the word, I wonder?). He keeps throwing in new elements without exploring them, new characters without developing them and new situations that only a moron would fall for. The ending was pure dreck without an iota of plausibility and even less satisfaction.
I must admit that I had a hard time putting it down but only because I wanted to be done with this horrible waste of time (it is a personal flaw of mine that once started, a book must be finished--I may have to get therapy to prevent another experience like this one!).
Again, I have to wonder what these reviewers were thinking?

THE FIRST COUNSEL by Brad Meltzer is my third book by this author. In this one the hero Michael Garrick is an attorney, low level, in the White House, but better than that he is dating Nora Hartson, the First Daughter. Needless to say all doesn't go well, actually thing spend out of control with drugs, money, murder and more. I struggled throughout with the premise and our couples ability to sneak around and avoid the G-Men. Story was ok just improbable.

The action and drama of this book were fantastic. It had great potential. I just couldn't find myself involved enough with the characters to be sympathetic to them. Nora is a flirt with a few good one liners, but I just never got a sense of connection between her and the main character, Michael. I just kept thinking that Michael was a fool, and that I wished that the first Lady, the President, and other characters gave me something to care about. I needed a more compelling argument for Michael's connection to Nora to really care about his sense of purpose. It's good for fast paced page turning, but it is forgettable.

This is a ridiculous story with a dumb main character, a lawyer working at the White House, and a deranged and spoiled First Daughter. I dislike it so much that I forced myself to read half the book, then could go no further.

It doesn't seem fair to rate a book I have not entirely read, but the store requires a rating.

When White House lawyer Michael Garrick and First Daughter Nora Hartson witness something they weren't supposed to see, Michael is thrown into a vortex of suspicion, murder, and blackmail. Never knowing whose side Nora is on (Michael's or her own), you're never sure whether or not she's actually trying to help Michael or hang him out to dry. When Michael becomes a wanted man (by the FBI) he is on the run and wondering how he is going to clear his name of a crime he didn't commit. The final outcome is neither earth-shattering or riveting, but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

I heard Brad Metlzer speak at TLA (Texas Librarian Association) this year and enjoyed his speech so much that I had to check out his books. This is the first one I've read, and I enjoyed it.
The pace was fast and furious. The characters were great, but it was the action that drove the story. From the first sentence, the reader is taken on a wild ride. I stayed up way too late just to see how it would end.
I will definitely check out his other books.

The book is a page-turner that keeps you guessing but then again Meltzer develops few characters to point a finger at. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll simply say you won't have enough information to solve this mystery until Meltzer reveals all. The ending had me calling "foul". The death was an interesting turn but should of been further developed with a little aftermath of the politics and news frenzy in true Washington style. A little clean up would have went a long way. I think the last chapter was omitted! : ) Grisham is still my man!

I always enjoy trying books by new authors. It's great to get "in" on someone who will develop someday into a great author. Unfortunately, I don't think this book will do much for Brad Meltzer's quest for "great writer" staus. I was sucked in by the full-page ad in the NY Times Book Review. The basic premise is good - a White House insider dating the President's daughter and getting mixed up in a murder mystery. But the execution of this idea was not done well. The characters were hollow. Try as I might, I found I could not empathize with the protagonist, for starters. His character was, well . . .hollow, as were many of the other characters in the book. The only character who showed promise to me was Carolyn, and for obvious reasons, she couldn't be developed further.
The plot was lame. It's hard to suspend disbelief when you find yourself constantly saying: "Aw, Come on, they couldn't pull that in the White House, and get away with it."
One last thing. It wasn't bad enough that the author chose to write in the first person, which limits the action to what the protagonist sees and does, but why in the world did he choose to write in the present tense as well? It is very hard to read a novel written this way. Great writers, I suppose, can get away with this, but as I already mentioned, I think Brad Meltzer has a way to go before approaching that status.

This is a real page turner - don't be discouraged if you are a little confused the first few chapters - too many characters are introducted at the same time but it is worth making your way through - it is interesting to see the insider's view of the White House - I think it could have had a better ending (which to me was unbelieveable) and it has way too many murders (where are the Secret Service and White House security while all these characters are being knocked off??) when I was done I reread it - a lot of the clues made more sense. Meltzer's 'The Tenth Justice' is his best so far.

I purchased the book at a public library gift shop just to try out this author during my recent travel and I could not have been more pleased.
A spell-binding, page-turner "WhoDunnit" mystery, this has the added icing on the cake as a political-legal thriller. Every page or two offers new excitement and/or new twist treating the reader to a roller-coaster of a psycho-ride until the very end. I certainly could not have guessed it...!

Michael Garrick is out on his first date with the president's daughter, Nora Hartson. She's beautiful, wild and very rebellious and in no time, they've lost her secret service escort and are sitting in an anonymous gay bar, in the wee hours of the morning, having a drink. As they talk, Edgar Simon, Chief White House Counsel and Michael's boss walks in, meets with someone and then just as quickly leaves. Curious, Mike and Nora follow him and discover he's left a $40,000 payoff in an isolated wooded area. As Michael tries to find out who's blackmailing whom and why, he sets off a chain reaction of murder, mayhem, dirty tricks and deceit that reaches all the way to the Oval Office. Now, as his world is set on its end, he's running for his life and trusting no one..... Brad Meltzer has written a book with absolutely no substance. His plot is implausible and unrealistic, his writing is very immature and awkward and he shows no ear for dialogue. His characters are poorly drawn, show no depth or motivation and the relationship between Mike and Nora is contrived and ridiculous. Add to that a very unsatisfying ending with a lot of loose ends and you have the makings of a total disappointment. Do yourself a favor and skip The First Counsel. There are too many really good political thrillers out there to read.

The White House is not immune to blackmail, drugs and murder and the president's daughter is in the middle of a tight story that weaves these three themes together. In THE FIRST COUNSEL author Brad Meltzer once again uses the first person present tense to keep the reader running fast beside the hero, White House counsel Michael Garrick, as the action races through the D.C. streets, the first family's private residence and a few "secret" places. I really enjoyed it.

Author Meltzer can write, but here we have a very thin plot that is stretched into a novel. We are given NO REASON TO CARE about the characters. The "fascination" of a novel "inside the White House" soon pales. The author builds suspense before the "hero" lawyer makes his first presentation to the president; then he omits the presentation from the book. A lot of "thrashing" goes on in this book with no action; a lot of conversation without resolution and without point. Yes, Meltzer can write...let's hope he does, sometime soon.

Meltzer has the ability to captivate his audience from the beginning with his conversational tone and laid back voice. In this novel, he takes us into the White House and opens the box of scandals. Garrick is an attorney, wet behind the ears, and a little naive'. He begins dating the first daughter and his social status changes. From here the ball rolls fast with adventure, betrayal, and the eyes of the Secret Service on Garrick. This is a novel you can read without effort. Anyone can relate to his characters and he develops a fast moving plot with lots of action. I think hist first 2 novels were better and written with more characterization but this novel holds its own.

How to ruin a promising start. A White House Lawyer, having ditched the Secret Service detail protecting the President's daughter who is in the car with him, sees his boss, the White House Counsel, engaged in some shady dealings in a gay bar. It's all downhill from there. Characters run the gamut of emotion from A to B. Each is more adolescent and "cardboard" than the one before. There's more whining in this book than one would have thought imaginable. What could have been an interesting plot devolves into utterly vapid, boring, and ultimately predictable nonsense. I see the author is writing comic book novels now for DC Comics. Probably Marvel wouldn't have him! Even comic book characters have more self-respect than his.

Meltzer has returned to the form that made his first book, The Tenth Justice so good. I am suprised at the number of poor reviews it has received here. It has lots of "inside" information about the White House and its inner workings that are very interesting. The plot is fast paced with plenty of twists. The characters are interesting and complex, and Meltzer really keeps you guessing as to who the bad guy will turn out to be. Overall it was a great book that kept me interested until the end.

Another fast read from Mr. Meltzer. Certainly fiction that requires a complete suspension of disbelief.
However, all this ground was covered in his most enjoyable "The Tenth Justice" with a far more interesting cast of characters and a more subtle plot. This is merely a variation on that theme, and not as well done as the original. Some of the characters are simply cartoonish in their incredulity.
I found nothing original here and was underwhelmed.

What a Raging Disappointment!! All the other Brad Meltzer I have read has been super entertaining, but I felt like this was WAY too gritty. I read it on vacation and threw it in the garbage when I was finished.

White House attorney Michael Garrick gets caught up in a deadly conspiracy when he and the President's daughter, who he is currently dating, see something they shouldn't. The plot races along through limitless twists and turns, and Meltzer keeps you guessing until the end, where he finally reveals the rogue. The author develops the characters brilliantly, so at the end of the novel, the reader knows them intimately. The inside information about the White House, whether true or false, was an interesting addition as well. A riveting story that made the book impossible to put down!

If the real White House hired emotionally ga-ga lawyers like Michael Garrick, the president would be in a heap of trouble. Garrick falls for a whacked out, unstable, First Daughter and then lets her suck him into a self-incriminating situation that, from the outset, clearly jeopardizes his career, not to mention puts him at risk of criminal indictment. What ambitious, political savvy, inside-the-beltway go getter would ever find himself in such a mess?
The dialogue is barely adult. It's more typical of sitcom wisecracking among "Animal House" fraternity types. The characters are shallow, cardboard cutouts. The plot is so-so (hence two stars rather than one), but is hardly the thriller that some believe it is. I'll give Melzer a point for accurate depictions of Washington neighborhoods and the Metro system. He certainly knows his subway stations.

See storyline above.
Well I couldn't get as enthusiastic as some of these reviewers about this book, but it was a good mystery. It moves at a fairly good pace and keeps you guessing until the end. There are deceptions and coverups and a whole lot of insight into the White House. The character of Michael Garrick was hard to like because he seemed so pliable. Why keep putting up with Nora?
A great book for mystery lovers, with just enough thrills to keep you hooked until the exciting conclusion.
Recommended.

I read the Millionaires and I was hoping to enjoy this one but I kind of didn't. I'm not really a fan of political thrillers, although this kept my interested most of the time. It's just not the type of book that I usually like to read. I'm sure others will be very fond of it. I do suggest reading the Millionaires, its a fun financial thriller that is a very enjoyable and easy novel.

What a complete waste of time. Here's what happens: You heft this big book with its mysterious looking photo on the front and start reading. Half way through you realize the plot has gone NOWHERE. All you've gotten is 250 pages of character development and dialog. Zero plot. Zero intrigue. Zero mystery. No excitement and not a clue where this story is heading. It's like Meltzer was writing and couldn't figure out where to take the story. Finally 3/4 of the way through the book you get a glimpse of the plot but it's not until the last 20-30 pages that you actually figure out what the hell is going on! Then it wraps itself up in the last two paragraphs almost instantly! The whole book could've been wrapped up in 150 pages.

I just started to read Meltzer. This was the fourth novel I read, and by far the best. The storyline gets you roped in early on, and it is difficult to put the book down. I lost a lot of sleep because of this novel, but well worth the sacrifice.

I agree with the reviewer who said that this book was wrapped up in the end too loosely. The "answer/killer" that we're all trying to guess at comes out of left field. And the characterizations aren't good. There are some characters I would like to get to know better. There are some that I couldn't believe existed.
But I think the worst part of it all, is that I stopped cheering for the hero. I didn't think he deserved to survive the book.