The 500

A Novel

De: Matthew Quirk

Narrado por: Jay Snyder

A gripping thriller debut, set deep in the heart of the world's most powerful political arena

A year ago, fresh out of Harvard Law School, Mike Ford landed his dream job at the Davies Group, Washington's most powerful consulting firm. Now, he's staring down the barrel of a gun, pursued by two of the world's most dangerous men. To get out, he'll have to do all the things he thought he'd never do again: lie, cheat, steal - and this time, maybe even kill.

Mike grew up in a world of small-stakes con men, learning lessons at his father's knee. His hard-won success in college and law school was his ticket out. As the Davies Group's rising star, he rubs shoulders with "The 500", the elite men and women who really run Washington - and the world. But peddling influence, he soon learns, is familiar work: even with a pedigree, a con is still a con.

Combining the best elements of political intrigue and heart-stopping action, The 500 is an explosive debut, one that calls to mind classic thrillers like The Firm and Presumed Innocent. In Mike Ford, listeners will discover a new hero who learns that the higher the climb, the harder - and deadlier - the fall.

©2012 Matthew Quirk (P)2012 Hachette Audio

If you liked Grisham's "The Firm"

Good read & solid narration. Story in the vein of John Grisham. Great twists & turns.

Eh… complicated and hard to follow

A definite first book.
Jay Synder definitely has gotten better as a narrator- not his best work
This book was not what I was expecting. Nor was it engaging. A lot of baloney to get to the finale. My hope is the author gets better. I’ll listen to his subsequent book’s. This one had promise just didn’t deliver

A real page turner, exciting, great thriller.

If you believe in the corrupting influence of power, and misappropriation of knowledge in Washington DC, you'll love this novel.

I loved the corellaries

The publisher's summary rightfully compares this to Grisham's The Firm. But the hero in this tale is a thief and con man trying to go straight. As he battles politicians and lawyers, he finds that his former skills are all needed in order to succeed and survive. Which means, of course that politicians and lawyers are thieves and con men. Very nicely done.

great book

Where does The 500 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the books I will definately listen to again.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist, he seemed so human, and unwilling to see those he cared about, were only his "friend" for money and power.

What about Jay Snyder’s performance did you like?

Easy to listen to, just the right amount of drama.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Wanted to listen more than just my commute, that's for sure.

A refreshing break

Would you listen to The 500 again? Why?

I almost never listen to a book twice. But in this case, I think I would make an exception.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Why is it that we have gotten away from protagonists who work hard and outwit their opponents? Instead, we have mostly dormant characters who allow the world to spin around them, and out of control, until they make one decision to do something or other that potentially fixes the mess of a life they have made. Gone are the days of brilliant Forsyth characters who proactively make complicated plans to defeat their foes. At least until now. Quirk's quirky, ex-con character Ford fits the bill. He's wily, sarcastic, cynical and engaging. I loved every minute of this book.

A New Hero is Born!

I loved Mike Ford! The narration was wonderful, but the vivid descriptions stole the show! Bravo to the author!

A Good Listen - Lots of Action

I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of action, suspense, and I enjoyed the characters. I would say its a good suspense for sure. Some the story content was occasionally a bit un-believable, so that is why I gave it a 4. But as a whole, I'd recommend this book and enjoyed the author's imagination and creativity.

This book is WILD!! Easy 5 STARS...

What does Jay Snyder bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Jay Snyder did a fantastic job with this book.

Any additional comments?

Wow, this book is like "The Firm" on speed!! I have had this book my wish list since it came out on Audible and sat on the fence with it because of some of the feedback. I sometimes wonder how many GOOD books I pass by because someone doesn't share my taste for books. It's really unfortunate when you think about it, how many authors go unread or listened to because the first person to read/listen to a book didn't like it.
Anyway, this book according to me has everything going for it. Corrupt powerful law firm that digs up dirt on the most influential politicians only to be used to corrupt them, a young newly hired lawyer just starting out who is forced to revert to his street smarts in order to survive. There is a background story going on that just feels like filler to give a little history, pay attention, it has a conclusion that will knock your socks off and fills in missing pieces from the main plot.
This book was so well written, very coherent, very believable and a consistent pace that runs on high speed through out the book.
I am very impressed and my next book will be THE DIRECTIVE, the next on the series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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How to Get Out of the Washington Toilet

An exciting and somewhat plausible tale of what could happen when one man knows too many secrets about too many other men.
A mystery, adventure, and love story that will hold your attention.
An enjoyable stretch of the imagination.