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Audiobook9 hours
The 500: A Novel
Written by Matthew Quirk
Narrated by Jay Snyder
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
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, listeners will discover a new hero who learns that the higher the climb, the harder -- and deadlier -- the fall.
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, listeners will discover a new hero who learns that the higher the climb, the harder -- and deadlier -- the fall.
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Author
Matthew Quirk
Matthew Quirk is the New York Times bestselling author of Red Warning, Hour of the Assassin, The Night Agent, The 500, The Directive, Cold Barrel Zero, and Dead Man Switch. He spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego, California.
More audiobooks from Matthew Quirk
The Night Agent: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Red Warning: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Inside Threat: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for The 500
Rating: 3.658536585365854 out of 5 stars
3.5/5
123 ratings23 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This is clearly an attempt to sell the film rights rather than simply write a book. The writing style is simple and the characterisation fairly weak. The problem with the plot is plausibility if you ever stop to think about it; but having said that it would be a good enough airplane read. Although it is listed in Good Reads as the first in a series I struggle to see where it can go from here, thankfully.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Pretty good - I liked the way being a lobbyist s like being a con artist.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Really enjoyable, suspenseful thriller.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mike Ford and his girlfriend Annie wind up involved in some unexpected shenanigans as consultants at the Davies Group. Mike wants to distance himself from his tather's criminal behavior, but he doesn't realize that his new job is going to wind up using some of the tricks he learned as a kid. It's a fun story and a quick read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This fast-paced thriller throws you right into the action to set the stage, then rewinds to let you discover how the main character ended up in the predicament where you first met him. This is a well-told story, good beach reading, although I would have cut out a few of the peripheral characters to focus on the main storyline. Overall a good read, refreshingly different enough style to allow me to enjoy it and then go back to my old favorites. Would read another Matthew Quirk in the future.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 500, a first novel by a Harvard graduate and former reporter for The Atlantic, succeeds as a zippy beach read. Other reviewers have compared it repeatedly to The Firm, and I too find the parallels so strong that it mars the story's originality, making it feel like a hipper, amped up variation of the story that put John Grisham on the map. Like Mitch in The Firm, Mike Ford is hand-selected by the leader of a high-end boutique that looks to indoctrinate our best and brightest into its shady culture. Sure there are some differences. The Davies Group is a Washington consulting firm rather than a law firm, and Mike's criminal past is the antithesis of Mitch's squeaky clean resume.Despite the fact that the hook and basic story line are distractingly derivative, the novel comes across as fresh and engaging because of Mike's winning first-person narrative voice. This guy is a trip, roasting the Beltway's obsession with power, providing an insider's view of D.C.'s landmarks and party-scene debauchery, and treating the reader to all manner of insights into the mindset and tricks of the con man. Mike's ireverent attitude and banter manage to power the story clean through the beginning and middle, but his bottomless bag of tricks wears thin toward the end; his ability to wiggle out of impossible situtations and the irrationality of some of his decisions seem written purely for Hollywood's benefit.As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about this novel. Fives stars worth of fun, three stars worth of substance. Hopefully the film adaptation will smooth over some of the rough edges and improve on the book in a way that The Firm's adaptation did not.-Kevin Joseph, author of "The Champion Maker"
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great book, the story was fantastic. What you read in this book will make you wonder what really happens in DC. Full of suspense and the twists and turns are never ending.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 500 is a fun read although it was a bit hard to follow at times. Mike Ford beat the odds and is hired by a Washington lobbying firm. The firm has incredible influence in Washington and promises Mike the world yet what are the costs? I agree with other reviewers that the plot is a bit like Grisham's The Firm and while the writing is not as sophisticated I found the point of view and voice quite good. I do not want to give away much more but I found the plot quite interesting, the pace generally fast, and most of the characters well developed. I am very glad I had the opportunity to read The 500.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is about an outsider, Mike Ford, who finds his way into an influential Washington D.C lobbying firm, who ultimately finds out that this high profile life is more like his criminal past than he thought. Between all the blackmailing, backstabbing, and beatings Mike Ford doesn't know who to trust.This is a high-caliber, fast paced debut for Matthew Quirk. This book has it all; action, blackmail, a little romance, and some great twists. Fans of political thrillers should read this book. Quirk is an author I will make sure to keep an eye on.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of the best thrillers I have ever read! It will especially appeal to those who, like me, enjoy the details of the criminal life such as Thomas Perry incorporates into his books. The narrator's voice is unique and entertaining and the plot is appropriately complicated, but not too much so. Excellent book!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Set in Washington DC, the protagonist is rescued from a life of crime and caught up in the toils of a powerful DC consulting firm. Thinking he is on the path to righteousness and success Mike Ford discovers that there is a very seamy side to his new profession. Reminds me of Grisham's "The Firm" only not as well written. As young Mr. Ford wends his way through narrow escapes and strangely wrought captures he finds that he can reconcile with his convict father and a girlfriend he thought had betrayed him. Several times during my read I was reminded of the phrase "God in the machine", the method whereby ancient Greek actors were rescued from very awkward situations. Thanks to Mike's efforts all turns out well in the end with world peace looming on the horizon.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Matthew Quirk, thanks so much for a great book. I read it in two days--that says a lot. At first, about half way through, I could not help thinking of thriller author, Thomas Perry and his Jane Whitfield novels. Jane is a con of the first order, but this book introduces Mike Ford and explains how he became a con artist. I liked many things about the book--First, I loved the imaginative cons--very clever. Second, occasionally the author will address the reader directly- "Stiil awake? Bravo. " I loved it. Then there are the references to literature or movies (Plastics as a password. Shawshank Redemption) which are not fully explained, but left to the reader's prior knowledge. Younger readers may not "get" the references! Towards the end, I was fearful that this might just be a stand-alone novel, but, Thanks! Quirk leaves the door open for more Mike Ford novels. I hope so because I loved this one--a whole new look and setting- The Bowels of Washington, the Davies group. Quirk does bury a few striking characters, but he obviously has the imagination to invent more. Bravo!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I enjoyed this but really didn't love it. I kind of feel that way about all of it. The characters, plot and writing were good, just not great. I do love a good con man story and this is a good con man story so maybe I'm just being harsh. I see there is another Mike Ford already out. I will likely give that one a go.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5THE 500 tells the story of Mike Ford an underprivileged kid from the wrong side of the tracks as he attempts to make a better life for himself by going straight and staying honest. Unfortunately, not too much is going well for him. He is in debt for his mothers medical bills, a collection agency is making life miserable and as he attempts to go to class he learns his tuition check has bounced, yet he doesn't give up and not long after he finds himself interviewing with his soft spoken professor.Before too long Mike finds himself with everything he's ever dreamed of. He's go a nice home, the debts are paid, his job is working out nicely for him and he's found himself a nice girl. Then he has to make trouble for himself by being honest and eventually things fall apart.The action is fast paced and the reader finds himself wondering where the time has gone when the story ends. If you like novels such as THE FIRM you should give this story a try. It will not disappoint you.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 500 is an interesting novel set in Washington, DC. The main character is a young laywer, fresh out of Harvard. He gets a dream job with a consulting group, but it all turns out to be too good to be true. He gets drawn deeper and deeper into trouble as the story goes on. The novel is well-written and the characters are believable. The title comes from a statement made by one of the characters that there are (supposedly) 500 people in Washington with real power and who run the government. This character is the bad guy, and his goal is to corrupt those in power. The main character, Mike, is a former criminal turned good guy. His past catches up to him in many ways in this gripping story. His past also helps him get out of some really bad scrapes. This one was a real page-turner. As a reader, it held my interest and drew me into the story. I'm not usually partial to novels about political subjects, but this one avoided all that and cut to the meat of the story. There are no boring passages about the law and politics to wade through, which I found refreshing. There was enough suspense, intrigue and mystery to keep my interest. Overall, I'd say it was a good thriller and a good read.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Implausible, second rate rehash of The Firm
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5"The 500" by Matthew Quirk was a story of greed, power, murder and betrayal. The Davies group was founded and led by a man whose belief and practice was that that he would do whatever he needed to do in order to get whatever he wanted. The price is not too great. He also believed that everyone has a price and could be bought. The story was okay but the sound recording was terrible. The "S" was not be pronounced throughout the story when it was to be 'she', it would say 'he' which made it very confusing to follow. I give this book a 2.5 star rating. Note: I re-read this book and found I liked it more than the recording. I upgrade my review to 3.5 and apologize to the author for my first review as my first experience with the book was tainted by the sound system.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Everyone has a price at which they can be bought. At least, that is what Matt’s lawyer boss, Henry Davies says. When the debt from his mother’s death and school loans get to be too much to bear, Henry Davies, a professor at Harvard, offers Mike a job at his firm. For $200, 000 a year plus 30%, Mike will be able to pay off his debts, get his dad out of jail, and live the happy life he’s always wanted. With a criminal juvenile past, that can be hard to obtain, so when mysterious circumstances lead Mike to believe that his boss is a murderer, he decides to covertly investigate. Soon, however, a Supreme Court justice and another woman are murdered, Matt finds himself in some really hot water. With Davies having anyone who matters wrapped around his finger as well as Mike’s girlfriend. Suspected of the double murder of the Supreme Court judge and the other person, Mike has to race against time to find the evidence that got the man murdered in order to clear his name and beat Davies at his own game. Will he succeed or wind up dead as well?The characters are well-developed and hold the reader’s interest. The plot is action-packed, well-paced, and engaging. The narrator, Jay Snyder has a unique voice that truly captures the characters and captivates the reader. His intonations and smooth transitions masterfully draw the reader into Mike’s world. Readers and listeners alike who like suspense, legal thrillers, and mysteries will enjoy this book. /
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I got this book because Entertainment Weekly compared it to John Grisham’s The Firm. It is NOT like The Firm. The Firm was exciting and thrilling and I couldn’t tear myself away. The 500 was dull and predictable and I wanted to put it down every time I picked it up. In fact, I can barely recall the characters or the plot, other than thinking things got more and more preposterous and unbelievable as it went on. Perhaps I was expecting more because EW made it seem like it was going to be so awesome, but this book was very disappointing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A great view into what it costs to “buy someone”. A timely topic in this election year. It is also a look into what it would take to sell yourself for corporate politics or for wealth. What is the worth of the love of your life or for your parents?If you want to read a fast paced story that makes you review your own action in life, then read this
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a very, very good book. You'll care for the characters, trail the twists of plot with interest, and consider carefully what you've just read as you finish. Mostly, they will be thoughts of how the well-known great and the seldom-seen greater are most often pusillanimous, peremptory, and ultimately powerless puppets who live and die to see their schemes gang aft a-gley. A definite recommendation for easy-read fiction. As a note if interest, the back cover of my advance copy tells us the issuing investment which the publisher proposes: $500,000! It worries me, though, that it's now mid-July, and I haven't heard diddly squat about it. If it had been released in early June, I would suggest you get yourself a copy. If (1) you want to save $25, and (2) you have the morals of most of the people populating this story, go to any beach in the country and shout, “Look! Over there! It's a mermaid!” As the sunbathers throw down their reading and rush to the shore to see, you should have half a hundred copies of “The 500” left behind in the sand to chose from.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 500 is a fun read. Matthew Quirk takes us into a world of intrigue, with a plot and setting which has obvious echoes of Grisham’s The Firm, but enough originality and detail to keep his reader turning pages. The plot gets a little thin in places, but not to the point of breaking down. Characters are given enough baggage and backstory to be intriguing. The writing’s pretty good. In the early chapters Quirk relies a little too heavily on metaphor after metaphor to describe persons, places and situations. Mostly, the story advances in workmanlike prose scattered with a few really lovely bits, including this description as the protagonist finds himself living a life he never expected: “I needed the money and I liked the perks, but that’s not what pulled me out of bed every morning at 5:45. It was the ritual of shined shoes and a crisp shirt. It was crossing off eight tasks before 9 AM. It was the soles of my Johnston & Murphy’s [sic] crackling across the marble floor of the Davies Group foyer, and echoing back from the oak panels.”There are plenty of twists and turns as the plot unfolds, some more plausible than others, before Quirk wraps it all up with a fast-paced climax and an ending which is reasonably satisfying and tidy.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Frankly it’s a mixed blessing any time you get sent a good book to review. The positive is obvious, you get to read a good book; the downside is that when you’re writing your review it’s much easier to be negative than positive.Mike Ford is the son of a con man and well along that road himself when he gets busted and instead of serving time chooses a path in the navy and goes straight eventually working on a law degree and a masters in business when he’s scooped up by the head of the Davies Group, the most powerful influence group in Washington DC. Ford starts his way up the ladder using the grifter skills he learned when he was younger when suddenly everything goes pear shaped and he has to use those same skills to extradite himself from the situation.The 500 is fun and it’s written at a fairly breakneck pace. Matt Quick’s debut novel reminds me in many ways Josh Bazell’s debut, Beat the Reaper, in that both books are thrillers revolving around people from the crime world trying to go straight in white collar professions and failing, both novels have a perchance for jumping around in the time sequence, are extremely fast-paced, and both have a nice edge of weird to them. The 500 gets a strong recommendation from me for anyone who is looking for an entertaining novel and I look forward to seeing what else Matt Quick has up his sleeves in the future.