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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
In the Company of Liars by David Ellis



Putnam, April 2005, 24.95, 384 pp.
ISBN 0399152474

Famous novelist Allison Pagone is on trial for the murder of lobbyist Sam Dillon, but she is not mounting any credible defense. Instead she is more worried about her ex-husband who bribed three state senators to pass a law that would allow the drug Divalpro to be put on the state's prior approved Medicaid drug list. She made a deal with federal agent Kat McCoy that she would allow the state to try her for murder if her ex-husband and daughter gain immunity from prosecution.

Although Allison is protected as part of the deal, a terrorist from the Liberation Front kills her because they believe she knows that a doctor they are working with has developed a medicine that will kill millions. The reason they believe this is because her lover lobbyist Sam Dillon was going before the grand jury. They didn't know he had no idea about a terrorist plot but was going to testify about the bribery involving Allison's husband and daughter. Kat believes that if they capture the head of the Liberation Front Allison wouldn't have died in vain.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Who's the terrorist enemy here?

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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