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Dead Even: A Novel
When faced with the choice of saving your own life or the life of the person you love the most, how do you choose? Sara Tote, a Manhattan assistant D.A. is very much in love with her defense attorney husband, Jared, but is on the verge of losing her job. So her colleagues coerce her into taking a case marked for the star prosecutor in hopes of securing her future at the D.A's office. But the case is far more complicated--and deadly--than it first appears. Sara receives a threat: Win the case, or Jared will be killed. And it gets worse. Jared is strong-armed into defending the prime suspect, and he too is instructed to win at all costs or risk Sara's death. In court and at home, husband and wife go head-to-head while harboring the terrible secret of their motives. In a battle of rollercoaster emotions and painful betrayals, Jared and Sara must face the unthinkable truth: No matter who wins, the other dies.
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First published May 13, 1998
About the author
Brad Meltzer
300 books6,786 followersBrad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, and nine other bestselling thrillers including The Tenth Justice, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, and The President’s Shadow. His newest book, The Escape Artist, debuted at #1 on the bestseller list.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (History Decoded), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
His newest thriller, The Escape Artist, introduces Nola and Zig, brand new characters in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: Nola is dead. Everyone says she's dead. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski just found out the truth: Nola is alive. And on the run. Together, Nola and Zig will reveal a centuries old secret that traces back the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all eight of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate, was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The Book of Lies, is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.
His book The Inner Circle (and its sequels, The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow) is based the idea that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn’t know who they work for — but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George HW Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.
His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian.
Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko’s.
Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife, who’s also an attorney.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (History Decoded), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
His newest thriller, The Escape Artist, introduces Nola and Zig, brand new characters in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: Nola is dead. Everyone says she's dead. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski just found out the truth: Nola is alive. And on the run. Together, Nola and Zig will reveal a centuries old secret that traces back the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all eight of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate, was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The Book of Lies, is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.
His book The Inner Circle (and its sequels, The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow) is based the idea that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn’t know who they work for — but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George HW Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.
His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian.
Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko’s.
Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife, who’s also an attorney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
January 13, 2018
Interesting plot.
Husband and wife team, one is ADA, the other is working in big law firm. These educated lawyers acting like emotional teenagers. There dialogue are boring and long. Murder and mayhem, and who to trust or believe from the start to finish.
Husband and wife team, one is ADA, the other is working in big law firm. These educated lawyers acting like emotional teenagers. There dialogue are boring and long. Murder and mayhem, and who to trust or believe from the start to finish.
February 13, 2023
This is my second disappointing stab at reading a Meltzer novel. I'm simply underwhelmed. The actual story behind "Dead Even" is really quite good, but Meltzer's characters are so utterly annoying that reading about them is the literary equivalent of enduring nails raking down a chalk board. Ugh! In "Dead Even" the female protagonist, Sara, is a complete witch (or think of a rhyming synonym) but we, as readers, are supposed to sympathize with her. Her husband, Jared, in contrast, comes off as a spineless wimp (who needs to discover the word "assertive") instead of portraying the loving and protective husband. The plot: Sara, an unemployed lawyer, finally lands a job at the NYC DA's office. However, major City budget cuts are announced on her first day of work and she fears for her job. As the rookie, she's desperate to prove herself so she takes on a few cases. One of those cases, however, was a home robbery misdemeaner earmarked for a more prestigious and well-regarded Assistant DA, but she takes it anyway. By that small act of legal thievery, Sara becomes entangled in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game full of crooked public employees, psychotic murderers, and heartache as the defendent "hires" Sara's husband to represent him. Both Sara and Jared are told, without each other's knowledge, that they must win the case or the other will die. Thus, the thrilling circus begins. And it is a great story; one that would have been marvelous had the characters been better written. Awful dialogue and irritating characters do not a great book make.
September 29, 2011
This is my first Brad Meltzer book. I've actually been looking for it ever since I read an excerpt of it online somewhere and when I saw this at my local bookstore, I didn't think twice and just grabbed it. A mistake actually - I should have at least read the online reviews.
The story started off pretty normal, two lawyers in love and married, hubby is a hotshot defense attorney, wifey is the new ADA. The first few chapters were pretty interesting. Then it reached a plateau for the next 8-10 chapters before eventually spiraling downwards. Wifey started off as likeable but after a few chapters and introduced to the antagonist, she starts getting all whiney and irritating, at times even downright bitchy. Same goes with hubby - too spineless and confused. I usually like at least one of the main characters but with this one, I can't seem to identify or even sympathise with either.
The plot is all over the place and there are times when I can't make heads or tails of it. Almost all of the side characters are made out to be the anatagonists. I suspect that's the author's way of keeping his readers in suspense but what irks me the most is after all those long-winded dialogues & cheesy cliches, there's almost no surprises. The characterization was weak and inconsistent - it's a case of too many suspects, too little time.
However, I'm not giving up on this author. I've read reviews of some of his other books and they seemed encouraging. I might pick up another book of his but it may be a while.
The story started off pretty normal, two lawyers in love and married, hubby is a hotshot defense attorney, wifey is the new ADA. The first few chapters were pretty interesting. Then it reached a plateau for the next 8-10 chapters before eventually spiraling downwards. Wifey started off as likeable but after a few chapters and introduced to the antagonist, she starts getting all whiney and irritating, at times even downright bitchy. Same goes with hubby - too spineless and confused. I usually like at least one of the main characters but with this one, I can't seem to identify or even sympathise with either.
The plot is all over the place and there are times when I can't make heads or tails of it. Almost all of the side characters are made out to be the anatagonists. I suspect that's the author's way of keeping his readers in suspense but what irks me the most is after all those long-winded dialogues & cheesy cliches, there's almost no surprises. The characterization was weak and inconsistent - it's a case of too many suspects, too little time.
However, I'm not giving up on this author. I've read reviews of some of his other books and they seemed encouraging. I might pick up another book of his but it may be a while.
August 14, 2014
This was my first Brad Meltzer and I definitively liked it. The plot was great and I couldn't lay the book down. The pace was fast and breathtaking. Maybe the characters could have been a bit better developped, but all in all the story about Jared and Sara was great! 4 stars!
January 24, 2009
Started off good, then spiraled into a stupid non believable mystery. I'm tired of Meltzer
July 22, 2012
I got this book from the library and it has sat there some time waiting to be read. When I started reading I was sorry I had left it so long. The storyline is well laid out in the book description so I won't go Into it again, but suffice to say the idea of a husband and wife up against each other in the courtroom works well. However, there is so much more to this book than that, it is not only a legal novel, but is a thriller and a murder mystery. It is also about people finding who they are and exactly who they can trust. Reading some of the other reviews I was wondering if we were reading different novels. I found the characters to be both believable and likeable. That's the goodies of course. The greatest part of this book is that you never know who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. The twists and turns we're like a roller coaster and you never knew what was coming next. I thought all along I knew how the story would end but boy, was I wrong. An excellent book, well written with a storyline that draws you in. What more could you ask for in a book.
January 15, 2011
Summary: Sara Tate starts her job as a New York City assistant district attorney the day before massive budget cuts. To keep her job, she grabs a case slated for one of the DA office's hot shots, thinking it will be the kind of showpiece that'll make her a hero. The next day, she learns that the defense attorney on the case is her husband, Jared Lynch. To make matters worse, what appeared to be a simple breaking and entering is beginning to look more like a murder.
Someone is pitting Sara and Jared against each other and both are being threatened: win the case or your spouse dies. Sara and Jared have struggled and suffered more than your ordinary young lawyers and their desperation to protect one another and their life together is almost palpable. But the more they fight to win the case, the more they put each other's lives in jeopardy.
REVIEW: Interesting plot: Yes Interesting Characters: Uhm, somewhat
The one thing I have learned from reading this author is, his plots are predictable and his characters make silly mistakes. Then again, nobody is perfect. My gripe about this book is that the ending just didn't cut it for me. No matter how you spin things, this book was actually worse than his first novel the Tenth Justice.
Sorry Brad, but, this book rates a 2 star on my rating scale.
Someone is pitting Sara and Jared against each other and both are being threatened: win the case or your spouse dies. Sara and Jared have struggled and suffered more than your ordinary young lawyers and their desperation to protect one another and their life together is almost palpable. But the more they fight to win the case, the more they put each other's lives in jeopardy.
REVIEW: Interesting plot: Yes Interesting Characters: Uhm, somewhat
The one thing I have learned from reading this author is, his plots are predictable and his characters make silly mistakes. Then again, nobody is perfect. My gripe about this book is that the ending just didn't cut it for me. No matter how you spin things, this book was actually worse than his first novel the Tenth Justice.
Sorry Brad, but, this book rates a 2 star on my rating scale.
July 22, 2012
Brad Meltzer's "Dead Even" is a legal thriller in the Grisham/Turow vein, suspenseful and well-paced with some plot twists throughout to keep you reading. It is quite the page-turner. While Meltzer is not an exceptionally gifted writer, he tells a good story and has a clear understanding of the genre and what a reader looks for in a novel like this. Fans of Dennis Lehane, John Grisham, and Harlan Coben should give him a try.
February 5, 2013
This novel is too long with too much murder and mayhem. 4 of 10 stars for this less than fulfilling story.
December 15, 2020
This book is a very suspenseful and paranoid nail biter that kept me interested and worried till the end.
April 5, 2019
A fun, fast paced read full of action and intrigue. Worth the time.
August 17, 2022
I loved this book! I loved the premise. It may have been a tiny bit long, but I very much enjoyed the plot. If you read it, I will be greatly surprised if you decide not to finish. I could barely put it down.
It's a high-stakes game for Sara Tate and Jared Lynch. The New York City District Attorney's office hired her, and she is grateful to have the job. She experienced a serious employment drought, and she is glad it's over. Her husband, Jared, works for a hotshot Wall Street law firm. His salary kept them afloat while she looked for work. Naturally, she is thrilled to start the new job.
Almost immediately after she arrives at the workplace, she hears rumors that the mayor is imposing budget cuts. That means the most recent people hired will be among the first let go. There might be a way around it though. Sara's irrepressible assistant tells her if she can snag a high-profile case, she might be able to avoid the layoffs. To that end, she goes to the room where someone hands out new cases. She sees one with another attorney's name on the folder. Convinced it is a high-profile case, she surreptitiously removes the name, and she claims it for herself.
Initially, to her disappointment, the case looks like a small-time burglary. But things are never as they seem. As she digs into it, she realizes it is about far deeper things. Across town, her husband also draws a case. He will defend the burglar whom Sara plans to prosecute. The twist is this: Someone separately calls aside both Sara and Jared and warns them that if they lose their respective cases, someone will murder their spouse. Furthermore, they can’t tell each other what they know.
This plot gripped me with everything it had. It was easy for me to put myself in the place of these two people. How desperate would you become if you knew that someone whom you love deeply will die if you lose a case? It seems to me there is almost nothing at which you would stop to ensure the safety of your loved one. The suspense is high enough with that premise, but the author enhances it by making sure the two don't tell one another for a significant amount of the book. At some point, you want to just cry out “please! Talk to one another. Explain what is happening here.” I'm always saddened and fascinated by the number of times in real life and in books in which a tiny bit of communication would make an exponentially large difference in the lives of the non-communicants.
Others who reviewed this book indicated dislike for both characters. I could relate to the husband to some degree; and I found the wife to be pushy, but not obnoxious. Her personality seemed to suit the task at hand. I liked her. The final scenes are memorable and vivid. They involve guns and subway tracks. I need say no more! If you download this, you'll read it; if you read it, you'll more than likely finish it.
It's a high-stakes game for Sara Tate and Jared Lynch. The New York City District Attorney's office hired her, and she is grateful to have the job. She experienced a serious employment drought, and she is glad it's over. Her husband, Jared, works for a hotshot Wall Street law firm. His salary kept them afloat while she looked for work. Naturally, she is thrilled to start the new job.
Almost immediately after she arrives at the workplace, she hears rumors that the mayor is imposing budget cuts. That means the most recent people hired will be among the first let go. There might be a way around it though. Sara's irrepressible assistant tells her if she can snag a high-profile case, she might be able to avoid the layoffs. To that end, she goes to the room where someone hands out new cases. She sees one with another attorney's name on the folder. Convinced it is a high-profile case, she surreptitiously removes the name, and she claims it for herself.
Initially, to her disappointment, the case looks like a small-time burglary. But things are never as they seem. As she digs into it, she realizes it is about far deeper things. Across town, her husband also draws a case. He will defend the burglar whom Sara plans to prosecute. The twist is this: Someone separately calls aside both Sara and Jared and warns them that if they lose their respective cases, someone will murder their spouse. Furthermore, they can’t tell each other what they know.
This plot gripped me with everything it had. It was easy for me to put myself in the place of these two people. How desperate would you become if you knew that someone whom you love deeply will die if you lose a case? It seems to me there is almost nothing at which you would stop to ensure the safety of your loved one. The suspense is high enough with that premise, but the author enhances it by making sure the two don't tell one another for a significant amount of the book. At some point, you want to just cry out “please! Talk to one another. Explain what is happening here.” I'm always saddened and fascinated by the number of times in real life and in books in which a tiny bit of communication would make an exponentially large difference in the lives of the non-communicants.
Others who reviewed this book indicated dislike for both characters. I could relate to the husband to some degree; and I found the wife to be pushy, but not obnoxious. Her personality seemed to suit the task at hand. I liked her. The final scenes are memorable and vivid. They involve guns and subway tracks. I need say no more! If you download this, you'll read it; if you read it, you'll more than likely finish it.
January 24, 2021
I liked this novel. It involved two young competitive attorneys at essentially early to midpoints in their legal careers who due to some curious acts, end up pitted against either in court. The author wove some excellent courtroom/legal system tension into a spellbinding romance novel filled with intrigue and plot twists. A real page turner from start to near the end...the ending cost it my fifth star. Enough said...
January 27, 2018
Simply an average whodunit, not really *bad*, but, not something I would rush out to recommend to my book buddies either.
June 26, 2023
A married couple on different sides of the law are pitted against one another in a crime that appears simple and unimportant. An assistant district attorney and her husband, a defendant lawyer.
August 9, 2022
DEAD EVEN was a big disappointment for me. I love legal thrillers and I read reviews carefully before I choose the books I read. I like most of the books I read, but I really did not like Dead Even. I wanted to give up on it soon after starting and again at the halfway point. I plugged on and this story never got better. If anything it got worse.
So what bothered me abbout the book? It is over-the-top ridiculous and completely unrealistic. Real people do not act like this. If you are an attorney and someone is threatening to kill your spouse if you don't win a case, you don't desperately do their bidding and let your spouse go about their business completely unaware of the threat. When they murder someone else close to you and ransack your apartment, you don't pretend you know nothing about it.
Both spouses are in the same situation, but they don't know it. He's defending, she's prosecuting. If either of them loses the case, the spouse dies. And they don't other to mention this little thing to their partner? Really? The threats are coming from different bad guys, with obviously opposite agendas. How likely is that? This bit of nonsense is the just the tip if the iceberg for this story. The characters relate to each other the way bad actors do in a very low budget movie.
Do yourself a favor a skip this one. There is nothing worth reading here.
So what bothered me abbout the book? It is over-the-top ridiculous and completely unrealistic. Real people do not act like this. If you are an attorney and someone is threatening to kill your spouse if you don't win a case, you don't desperately do their bidding and let your spouse go about their business completely unaware of the threat. When they murder someone else close to you and ransack your apartment, you don't pretend you know nothing about it.
Both spouses are in the same situation, but they don't know it. He's defending, she's prosecuting. If either of them loses the case, the spouse dies. And they don't other to mention this little thing to their partner? Really? The threats are coming from different bad guys, with obviously opposite agendas. How likely is that? This bit of nonsense is the just the tip if the iceberg for this story. The characters relate to each other the way bad actors do in a very low budget movie.
Do yourself a favor a skip this one. There is nothing worth reading here.
July 8, 2014
Dead Even is a romance-novel-ish legal thriller and a step or two above qualifying as an airport book. It’s not so much a whodunit as a "who'll do it," with the primary question being who's going to bring down whom.
I’m always ready to look askance at female protagonists written by men because in my literary experience such characters are usually stereotypical and shallow. Author Brad Meltzer seems to have tried hard to make heroine Sara extra tough but her internal voice isn’t realistic and comes across as juvenile and flighty.
The story proceeds nicely toward the finale when there’s a massive exposition dump with seemingly endless pages of dialogue to explain and wrap up loose ends. The dump follows a climax which barely amounts to more than a pile-on of guns and absurd coincidences.
Unfortunately, what begins promisingly as a clever nail-biter ultimately finds itself reading as a corny soap opera. Meltzer remains however one of my go-to writers whenever I want a non-challenging read that will hold my interest.
I’m always ready to look askance at female protagonists written by men because in my literary experience such characters are usually stereotypical and shallow. Author Brad Meltzer seems to have tried hard to make heroine Sara extra tough but her internal voice isn’t realistic and comes across as juvenile and flighty.
The story proceeds nicely toward the finale when there’s a massive exposition dump with seemingly endless pages of dialogue to explain and wrap up loose ends. The dump follows a climax which barely amounts to more than a pile-on of guns and absurd coincidences.
Unfortunately, what begins promisingly as a clever nail-biter ultimately finds itself reading as a corny soap opera. Meltzer remains however one of my go-to writers whenever I want a non-challenging read that will hold my interest.
February 17, 2013
I enjoyed this book however; I didn’t think this was as good as The Tenth Justice. Not that I know anything about the inner workings of a New York City ADA’s routine, but I had a hard time accepting that an ADA would be left so unchecked. It took a few chapters for this story to get momentum with me and I almost put the book down. I’m glad I kept reading because the story picked up speed and unraveled an interesting conspiracy.
August 8, 2018
This was my go to book when the books from the library turned out to be duds. I'd carry it around as backup, until I was finally out of library books and had to exercise extra to finish it up. It's exciting, it's packed full of interesting characters with depth, and there is never a dull moment. It's more thriller than legal, but it's a great mix. I love all of the Melzter books, and these early ones are proving to be no exception, I can't wait to read more!
January 3, 2020
This is my first Meltzer book and it was an intriguing read. The plot was interesting and kept me reading, however the dialogue and some of the character development was slightly dry. Personally, I would of loved to read more from Conrad's and Guff's perspective since they became an intricate part of the case. All and all an okay read and I would recommend it to a friend for a fun who-done-it read.
July 1, 2013
A legal mystery sort of in the style of John Grisham, but not nearly as good. I sort of liked the main characters - a married couple who are set up by some bad guys so that they are going against each other as prosecutor and defense attorney in a murder trial. Each thinks the other will be killed if they lose. At least their relationship remains intact in the end. Just so-so.
March 9, 2015
Esta fue mi primera novela de Brad Meltzer y me gustó mucho. La trama fue atrapante y no pude despegarme del libro, se desarrolló de forma rápida e intensa. Me gustaron mucho los protas y realmente desconfié de todos, lamentando el final de Conrad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2022
Twisty thriller pits husband against wife. I have to wonder how different this situation would have been if they had communicated with their bosses, or even each other... But I totally would have stolen some files too, if it meant me keeping my job!
BLURB: With his breakout New York Times bestseller, The Tenth Justice, Brad Meltzer asked us to consider a brutal question: How much can you really trust your friends? Now he pits husband against wife in a legal thriller with the most chilling ultimatum of all: Betray the person you love the most or risk losing them forever.Sara Tate, a Manhattan assistant D.A., is about to lose her job.
But the case she nabs to secure her professional future is far more complicated, and deadly, than it first appears. While forces within the D.A.'s office conspire against her, an outside threat looms larger: win the case or her attorney husband, Jared, will die. But Jared has been threatened as well. Strong-armed into defending the opposition, he learns that Sara will be killed should he lose the case. In court and at home, husband and wife go head-to-head while harboring the terrible secret of their motives. In a battle of rollercoaster emotions and shocking betrayals, Jared and Sara must face the unthinkable truth: No matter who wins, one of them will die.
BLURB: With his breakout New York Times bestseller, The Tenth Justice, Brad Meltzer asked us to consider a brutal question: How much can you really trust your friends? Now he pits husband against wife in a legal thriller with the most chilling ultimatum of all: Betray the person you love the most or risk losing them forever.Sara Tate, a Manhattan assistant D.A., is about to lose her job.
But the case she nabs to secure her professional future is far more complicated, and deadly, than it first appears. While forces within the D.A.'s office conspire against her, an outside threat looms larger: win the case or her attorney husband, Jared, will die. But Jared has been threatened as well. Strong-armed into defending the opposition, he learns that Sara will be killed should he lose the case. In court and at home, husband and wife go head-to-head while harboring the terrible secret of their motives. In a battle of rollercoaster emotions and shocking betrayals, Jared and Sara must face the unthinkable truth: No matter who wins, one of them will die.
May 19, 2022
Not a great book, but a fast read, a twisty mystery- a nice palate cleanser after some heavier, more literary fare that's been taking me longer to finish than I'm used to. New ADA Tate, desperate to prove her skills and avoid impending layoffs, grabs a seemingly simple case- a burglary in which the burglar was caught with engraved objects from the victim's house. Somehow it keeps getting more complicated- first a high priced lawyer from the firm she left (in disgrace) represents the client at arraignment, then her husband is hired to represent him at trial. And some mysterious guy with the fingerprints of a dead man is menacing her, threatening to harm her husband if she doesn't win, pushing her beloved grandfather down subway stairs. Meanwhile, hubby Jared is also receiving threats from his client and his deep pocketed backer- win or his wife dies. So, what's going on? Why is this simple robbery such a hot issue? Some of the dialogue was awkward, Sara's hot headed reactions to just about everything got annoying, and her assistant reminded me of Olaf the snowman with his whimsical comments in the midst of all the threats and violence- and I don't mean that as a compliment. But I'm grateful for an unpredictable page turner .
June 11, 2023
This book is a good example of why reading Meltzer's work is so disappointing: everyone has the same 'voice'. They all speak the same, have the same sarcastic lilt, the same propensity to make lists when making a point.
(grr, the lists. Think Tommy Lee Jones in the Fugitive. "...a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area.")
They make the same cultural references, and they all have the same dramatic style when revealing any information.
(I found something.
What?
You're not going to believe this.
What is it?
This is going to blow your mind.
Really? What did you find?
Ready for this?
and so on and so forth..........)
Lots of writers and their characters have this issue but it becomes overbearingly obvious and annoying when the writer is trying too hard to be clever.
The book itself? Not bad but it has too much of the sitcom syndrome; where people always have to act like morons in order for the plot to advance and a 10 minute conversation at any point would unravel all of it.
He's a good writer and this is an early book so I'm hoping some of these rough edges are smoothed out in his later novels.
(grr, the lists. Think Tommy Lee Jones in the Fugitive. "...a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area.")
They make the same cultural references, and they all have the same dramatic style when revealing any information.
(I found something.
What?
You're not going to believe this.
What is it?
This is going to blow your mind.
Really? What did you find?
Ready for this?
and so on and so forth..........)
Lots of writers and their characters have this issue but it becomes overbearingly obvious and annoying when the writer is trying too hard to be clever.
The book itself? Not bad but it has too much of the sitcom syndrome; where people always have to act like morons in order for the plot to advance and a 10 minute conversation at any point would unravel all of it.
He's a good writer and this is an early book so I'm hoping some of these rough edges are smoothed out in his later novels.
May 21, 2021
Sara Tate is starting a new job as an Assistant District Attorney after a period of being unemployed when she was fired from her position at a law firm. Her husband Jared Lynch is a defense attorney at a prestigious law firm. Things are looking up. Then Sara learns that her new job is at risk due to possible budget cuts. In a desperate attempt to prove her value, Sara grabs an unassigned case file to prosecute. As she aggressively prepares for this case, Jared is hired by the defendant in the case to represent him. The catch - Jared has to win or Sara will be killed. Husband and wife must go head to head in court. Thus begins the race for both of them to win the case at all costs.
I am a huge Brad Meltzer fan but I have to say I did not like this novel. Dead Even was published in 1998 and I believe it was one of his first novels so it is not in the same league as his more recent books. The characters in Dead Even seem flat. The decisions they make during the course of the novel are strange and unrealistic, especially to be made by attorneys. I found myself repeatedly thinking "That would never happen" as I read the book.
I am a huge Brad Meltzer fan but I have to say I did not like this novel. Dead Even was published in 1998 and I believe it was one of his first novels so it is not in the same league as his more recent books. The characters in Dead Even seem flat. The decisions they make during the course of the novel are strange and unrealistic, especially to be made by attorneys. I found myself repeatedly thinking "That would never happen" as I read the book.
June 26, 2023
I never cease to be amazed at the number of pages Goodreads shows - this is 343, not 400+.....it makes choosing the correct edition very complicated. Oh well.....
Early - as in very early - Brad Meltzer legal thriller which is interesting and keeps your attention, but at the same time you wonder, would people in a real setting be as stupid as some of these people are? Read the book and you'll understand. However, since this is early Meltzer, (he even has hair!!!), it is a writer refining his craft and it shows.
Since this was written, Meltzer has written - or co-authored - three non-fiction works, about 1000 kids books (or so it seems) and the occasional piece of fiction. More pieces of fiction would be welcomed since it's obvious he has come a long way since this one was written 'way back when. There's not a lot of good fiction out there at the moment and more Meltzer works would give those of us who enjoy his writing (even when it involves stupid people) would have something new to read!
If you're a Meltzer fan and haven't read this one - pick it up - it's enjoyable and is most definitely worth your time.
Early - as in very early - Brad Meltzer legal thriller which is interesting and keeps your attention, but at the same time you wonder, would people in a real setting be as stupid as some of these people are? Read the book and you'll understand. However, since this is early Meltzer, (he even has hair!!!), it is a writer refining his craft and it shows.
Since this was written, Meltzer has written - or co-authored - three non-fiction works, about 1000 kids books (or so it seems) and the occasional piece of fiction. More pieces of fiction would be welcomed since it's obvious he has come a long way since this one was written 'way back when. There's not a lot of good fiction out there at the moment and more Meltzer works would give those of us who enjoy his writing (even when it involves stupid people) would have something new to read!
If you're a Meltzer fan and haven't read this one - pick it up - it's enjoyable and is most definitely worth your time.
February 23, 2024
Brad Meltzer is a very successful author and TV personality and so I assume that this dog of a book is an exception to the quality of books that he has written.
This book concerns two unlikeable, corrupt, dishonest and unethical attorneys that somehow found each other and get married. It is shocking to that Mr. Meltzer has a legal education as this book is full of ethical wrongdoing by this couple as they prosecute and defend the different sides of the same criminal matter. They are blackmailed and threatened in an extraordinarily unbelievable manner by murderers and criminals that seem to have stronger moral codes then the two attorneys.
If you like silly, non-believable thrillers then this book is for you. If you want some plausibility in the story line, then I would suggest that you give this one a pass.
Will I read another Brad Meltzer book? Possibly. If only to confirm that they are not all this bad.
This book concerns two unlikeable, corrupt, dishonest and unethical attorneys that somehow found each other and get married. It is shocking to that Mr. Meltzer has a legal education as this book is full of ethical wrongdoing by this couple as they prosecute and defend the different sides of the same criminal matter. They are blackmailed and threatened in an extraordinarily unbelievable manner by murderers and criminals that seem to have stronger moral codes then the two attorneys.
If you like silly, non-believable thrillers then this book is for you. If you want some plausibility in the story line, then I would suggest that you give this one a pass.
Will I read another Brad Meltzer book? Possibly. If only to confirm that they are not all this bad.
November 27, 2018
Sara Tate is begining a new career as an ADA in New York, and with budget cuts looming, she wants to get off to a good start. So she learns how to get a good case - steal one from the incoming files receptionist, and one that is pre-assigned to the celebrity in the DAs office is sure to be a winner, right? No, it is just a routine burglary, but she can't dump it without getting into trouble, so she goes with it. Unfortunately, it is NOT a routine burglary, and she is in way over her head!
Meanwhile, her husband is in jeopardy with his job and needs to bring in new clients, so when a client specifically requests him, it looks like a win-win. But the case is for the defense of Sara's "routine burglary", and they will be facing each other in court.
Lots of twists and turns and fairly improbable situations, but a good "listen".
Meanwhile, her husband is in jeopardy with his job and needs to bring in new clients, so when a client specifically requests him, it looks like a win-win. But the case is for the defense of Sara's "routine burglary", and they will be facing each other in court.
Lots of twists and turns and fairly improbable situations, but a good "listen".
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April 15, 2021From Follett: 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.
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