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Executive Privilege: A Novel

Phillip Margolin
Harper Books (2008)
ISBN 9780061236211
Reviewed by Narayan Radhakrishnan for RebeccasReads (3/08)

Remember the chartbuster movie “Absolute Power,” starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman, wherein a burglar, Clint, witnesses the President of United States, Hackman, commit murder? The movie was based on a novel written by a lawyer novelist David Baldacci. More than a decade after the publication of the book, another lawyer novelist has decided to explore the same realm, albeit in a different style-- Phillip Margolin with his 2008 novel “Executive Privilege.”

The novel (and I am sure a screen version is bound to follow) starts slowly with a young lawyer, Brad Miller, chugging it out in his law firm at Oregon. He is assigned the appeal case of a serial killer, Clarence Little, awaiting judgment on the charges of killing, among others, the daughter of the private secretary to the Governor. A routine pro-bono case turns into a shocker when Little drops a little hint that the Governor might have had something to do with the murder. The said Governor is now the President of United States, Christopher Farrington. Miles away at Washington D.C., Private Detective Dana Cutler, is on an assignment trailing a young girl, Charlotte Wash. Cutler gets the shock of her life when she finds Walsh having a midnight rendezvous with the President, and within hours of the same Walsh is brutally murdered. There is a killer on the prowl, and he is none other than the President of United States. Circumstances force Cutler and Miller to join hands and what follows is breathtaking suspense that culminates in a finish, that subtly put is a shocker.

The 13th work is often considered unlucky, but Margolin need fear nothing.  “Executive Privilege” is a bombshell and come June, the author can rest assured that he has another bestseller in his hands. Margolin, is more famous for his lawyer Amanda Jaffe series of novels including “Wild Justice,” “Ties That Bind,” etc., recently lost his Amanda Jaffe in real life -- his wife of 38 years, Doreen Margolin. “Executive Privilege” is a dedicated to her memory-- and one thing I can say, Doreen sure is goanna be proud of “Executive Privilege.”

“Executive Privilege” is one great book; I just can’t wait to see the movie hit the screen.

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