Dead Even

by Brad Meltzer

1999

Status

Available

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Standard Shelves

Publication

Grand Central Publishing (1999), 560 pages

Description

"Heart-stopping intensity." -San Francisco Chronicle "Meltzer has come up with a gem of a plot�.It breezes along in high gear�.[A] highly recommended suspenser." -Chicago Tribune In this second novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer, husband and wife face off in a legal thriller that poses the most chilling question of all: How far would you go to save the one you love? Sara Tate, a Manhattan assistant DA, is on the brink of losing her job. But then she takes a case that may be able to secure her future. Trouble is, it's much more complicated-and deadly-than it initially appears. While forces within her own office plot against her, an outside threat takes things to another level: Win the case or her attorney husband, Jared, will die. But Jared has received threats, too. Forced to defend the opposition, he learns that, if loses the case, Sara will be killed. With everything on the line for both of them, husband and wife battle it out-at court and at home-while maintaining the terrible secret behind their motives. Caught in a struggle of rollercoaster emotions and shocking betrayals, Jared and Sara must face the unthinkable: No matter who wins, one of them may die.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Djupstrom

I like this author. He is not a formula writer like Grisham. Good fast-paced storyline.

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LibraryThing member losloper

Sara Tate is a prosecuting attorney in Manhattan; her husband, Jared Lynch, is a rising star in a Wall Street firm. They have a happy marriage - until one day they find themselves on opposite sides of the courtroom. Worse, they are threatened by the parties on each side. And one of them will die.

LibraryThing member LivelyLady

Husband-wife attorney's oppose each other in this suspenseful drama.

LibraryThing member michigantrumpet

(This is a review of the 13 disc CD version.) Took this with us to pass the time on a long 1500 mile car trek. A legal thriller, it was a choice appealing to all of the car's occupants. The narrator was excellent. Would have loved to rank the book higher. But there were too many unintentionally

hilarious moments where we found ourselves laughing at the ridiculousness of the main characters' behavior. The plot device (wife prosecutor v. husband defense attorney) was strained and both characters' angst overwrought and leaving us feeling less than sympathetic to their woes. Meltzer's pacing is great and he definitely held our interest. Other reviewers feel this is a lesser work compared to other books. Based on this, I'll definitely read more from Melzer.

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LibraryThing member whitewavedarling

Meltzer's Dead Even has all of the drama and suspense you could ask for in a legal thriller, and an intricate enough plot that readers are kept guessing at every turn. From the beginning, the characters are so engaging that this is a difficult book to put down, and any reader who enjoys a legal

thriller should find themselves not just tearing through this work, but immediately searching out more work from Meltzer. Certainly, that's what I'll be doing.

Recommended.

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LibraryThing member yvonne.sevignykaiser

Picked this book up at the library and it did not disappoint. I wanted a quick read with a good story. This legal thriller led you on a ride that had you guessing until the end.

LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader

After reading "The First Counsel" I wrote in my review that I'd be particularly interested if he (Brad Meltzer) can illuminate another thriller beyond 'the district' (Washington, D.C.). Well, once again Brad Meltzer did not disappoint. The setting for "Dead Even" is New York, New York. There are

moments that it has the grit of the streets of New York and then there are a few moments that one wishes that he would have used the setting even more effectively. But that said, it's a welcome addition for any reader that enjoys the drama of trial preparation and the court room setting itself.

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LibraryThing member cubsfan3410

Great read!! Well done, Mr. Meltzer.

LibraryThing member susandennis

Meltzer's first book - The Tenth Justice - was one of my all time favorites. This second one is another goodie. Sara Tate got screwed over by her big time law firm and ended up getting fired. She looked for a new job for months and finally got one in the DA's office. Meanwhile her husband's law

career soared as everything he touched did. But her first case nearly broken them both. It's a simple burglary but he's representing the defendant and, it turns out, there's nothing simple about the crime at all. Meltzer is a great story teller and I hope his publisher has his third book on the presses right now.

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LibraryThing member JosephKing6602

A bit too complicated; but good characters and action

LibraryThing member RoSands

Great exciting book. Lots of twists and turns. Really enjoyed it.

LibraryThing member buffalogr

One doesn't usually think of Brad Meltzer as a crime fiction writer and I still don't. The gimmick, two lawyer spouses pitted against each other, didn't really work well for me. There were many characters but just two that were the main characters, many others rotated around and were confusing. The

main character, Sara, was too sensitive; her husband refused to communicate with her, to protect her. Not believable, even among scum sucking lawyers. Most of the dialogue was awfully corny. Not a good result from Meltzer; stick with historical fiction.

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