The 500

A Novel

By: Matthew Quirk

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

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.

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.

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.