The 500

A Novel

By: Matthew Quirk

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

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

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

If you liked Grisham's "The Firm"

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

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 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.

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!

Just couldn't stand to finish it...

A decent storyline to start, but it gets more and more ridiculous after the half-way mark. I'm a big fan of Grisham and Michael Connelly, but Quirk's novel just crosses too many lanes of proverbial traffic to hold up. Maybe I'll have the stomach to finish it some day!

Excellent first audible release

Would you consider the audio edition of The 500 to be better than the print version?

I enjoy listening more than actually reading books these days. At the park listening while I walk the puppy works better for me. This book gets you invested in the characters and the story.

What about Jay Snyder’s performance did you like?

As is the case with all audible reviews, you have to like the narrators job if the book hooks you.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked following the main character not quite being the honest young attorney falling in onto the bad site and then trying to outwit other bad guys to survive.

Any additional comments?

I for one would like to see if the character comes back in a second book as I would give it a listen.