The 500: A Novel

Matthew Quirk

Jun 2012 · Sold by Reagan Arthur Books

About this eBook

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, readers will discover a new hero who learns that the higher the climb, the harder -- and deadlier -- the fall.

Ratings and reviews

A political thriller that will take you inside the workings of Washington, D.C., the reader questions where the truth and fiction begin and end. The book starts in the future for a chapter and the reader is taken into the past to explain the story that must take place to get the characters in that place. Mike Ford the main character has had a sketchy past, but ends up in a job where his checkered past can be put to good use.

Unfortunately I allowed myself high expectations going into this book due to all the publicity. It was compared to The Firm but it was more of the same of that genre that we now read and see so often. Same tune, different drummer. Ho hum.

Mind boggling. As I read the book, the suspense did not surprise me as it became evident that these occurrences, in today's world, could be possible, of course, to a certain degree. I did enjoy the intrigue.

About the author

Matthew Quirk studied history and literature at Harvard College. After graduation, he spent five years at The Atlantic, reporting on a variety of subjects, including crime, private military contractors, the opium trade, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego.