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Equivocal Death
Twenty-six-year-old Harvard Law grad Kate Paine thinks she has the perfect job, but it's about to become her worst nightmare. She's been hand-picked by Carter Mills, the magnetic senior partner of the prestigious and intimidating Samson & Mills, to join the firm as an associate. Like the other associates at the high-powered firm, she has no life except the one inside Samson & Mills, with its marble floors and panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. Soon she finds herself working on a high-profile sexual harassment case, assigned to defend the controversial editor of the notorious men's magazine Catch. Privileged to be working side by side with Carter Mills and another senior partner, the glamorous Madeleine Waters, Kate thinks she has it all under control - until Madeleine is found viciously murdered and Kate's carefully constructed world begins to fall apart. A cryptic warning from Madeleine just before her death leaves Kate to wonder - could she be the next victim?
Navigating the dizzying tower of ambition and politics at Samson & Mills, trying to outsmart the Catch offensive even in the face of Madeleine's violent death, Kate can't help but see the killer at every turn.
Navigating the dizzying tower of ambition and politics at Samson & Mills, trying to outsmart the Catch offensive even in the face of Madeleine's violent death, Kate can't help but see the killer at every turn.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
5 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Amy Gutman
7 books10 followersBy Caitlyn Smylie (SHS)
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Amy Gutman spent her growing up years in Indianapolis, Indiana. From there, she went to Boston, Massachusetts to attend Harvard. Her degree in journalism was put to use soon after she graduated magna cum laude when she moved to Washington D.C. and took a job with the Wilson Quarterly. After just a year there, she moved her talent to Nashville’s Tennessean, where she spent two years before going to Mississippi. While in Mississippi, Gutman first worked in Greenwood, and then Jackson, where she became Capitol Correspondent for a number of Mississippi papers.
She was persuaded to take a break from journalism to work in Mississippi’s educational system by the state's higher education commissioner. She became the founding director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps, which is a nationally-acclaimed program that recruits outstanding college graduates to teach in rural Mississippi schools. Following her three successful years in the state of Mississippi, Gutman decided to return to Harvard to obtain a law degree. After passing the bar, she worked at two law firms in Manhattan before quitting in order to make time to write ("Industry Interview: Amy Gutman"). That decision turned out to be a wise choice. Now Amy divides her time between Massachusetts and New York City, where she is a member of the Bar Association’s Lawyers in Transition Committee.Amy Gutman
Gutman had previously tried her hand at writing but gave up, dissatisfied with the results. Once she left the law practice, however, she forced herself to utilize her experience in journalism and forced herself to write. The result was her first novel, Equivocal Death, which is about Harvard Law School grad Kate Paine, who works at the Manhattan offices of Samson & Mills, the nation's most powerful law firm. The novel received wonderful reviews and was soon followed by The Anniversary, another work which has been well received.. A fairly-new writer on the scene, Gutman’s work is eliciting predictions of a great future in the business.
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Amy Gutman spent her growing up years in Indianapolis, Indiana. From there, she went to Boston, Massachusetts to attend Harvard. Her degree in journalism was put to use soon after she graduated magna cum laude when she moved to Washington D.C. and took a job with the Wilson Quarterly. After just a year there, she moved her talent to Nashville’s Tennessean, where she spent two years before going to Mississippi. While in Mississippi, Gutman first worked in Greenwood, and then Jackson, where she became Capitol Correspondent for a number of Mississippi papers.
She was persuaded to take a break from journalism to work in Mississippi’s educational system by the state's higher education commissioner. She became the founding director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps, which is a nationally-acclaimed program that recruits outstanding college graduates to teach in rural Mississippi schools. Following her three successful years in the state of Mississippi, Gutman decided to return to Harvard to obtain a law degree. After passing the bar, she worked at two law firms in Manhattan before quitting in order to make time to write ("Industry Interview: Amy Gutman"). That decision turned out to be a wise choice. Now Amy divides her time between Massachusetts and New York City, where she is a member of the Bar Association’s Lawyers in Transition Committee.Amy Gutman
Gutman had previously tried her hand at writing but gave up, dissatisfied with the results. Once she left the law practice, however, she forced herself to utilize her experience in journalism and forced herself to write. The result was her first novel, Equivocal Death, which is about Harvard Law School grad Kate Paine, who works at the Manhattan offices of Samson & Mills, the nation's most powerful law firm. The novel received wonderful reviews and was soon followed by The Anniversary, another work which has been well received.. A fairly-new writer on the scene, Gutman’s work is eliciting predictions of a great future in the business.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 17, 2017
legal thriller.un po' lento.alcuni sviluppi improbabili.
September 3, 2017
Good light read, but not in the same league as writers like Sara Paretsky or Louise Penny or Margaret Coel.
April 11, 2018
I really liked this book. Most books like this I figure out way before the end of the book, but this one had me stumped. The story was interesting and I wanted to keep reading to find out more.
November 24, 2025
2.5 stars. I loved The Anniversary so I tried this one but I knew the killer the moment the phone calls happened.
July 13, 2010
This was one of those books that draws you in, so that you have to read on to find what happens next. For some reason, though I have read thousands of mystery books, I still have a hard time figuring out who the murderer is. There was just one part of the story which didn't hang together well. The heroine, Kate Paine, is sexually assaulted by a sleazebag named Chuck, who then never appears in the rest of the book. Also, at the end, she reveals to a friend that she has money inherited from her mother, so no job problems immediately.
April 24, 2008
A young attorney in a prestigious Manhattan law firm, Kate Paine learns that she was hired because she resembles a partner that was mysteriously murdered during a high profile harassment case.
Well-written. A good first novel. The pace is slower than most legal thrillers. Kate is a feisty protagonist who will be featured in a sequel.
Well-written. A good first novel. The pace is slower than most legal thrillers. Kate is a feisty protagonist who will be featured in a sequel.
December 4, 2008
Written by a former attorney and Harvard law grad, this book about murder at a top law firm was an irresistible junk food book. I met the author at the Printer's Row Book Fair and she wasn't very optimistic my career choice... Hmmm... Maybe I could be an author someday?
September 10, 2010
A wonderful mystery plot woven into law firm politics and the emotions of a junior associate. Very well written and suspenseful. Even though I was able to somewhat guess the murder's identity early on...the author leaves plenty of room for you to suspect other characters right until the end.
April 23, 2016
Discreto thriller ambientato nel frenetico mondo degli studi legali americani, col loro corollario di infinite ore di lavoro e di competitività esaltata.
L'assassino non è scontato, anche se ci sono un po' di coincidenze di troppo.
L'assassino non è scontato, anche se ci sono un po' di coincidenze di troppo.
September 16, 2008
Enjoyed the last 45 pages of this book. The first part of this book was very slow. Toooooooo much build up!
July 18, 2008
Lawyers and intrigue. A new female lawyer is assigned to a sexual harassment case and one day later another female partner in the firm is brutally murdered.Who can be trusted???
June 28, 2009
This is an excellent debut for Amy Gutman in the realm of legal thrillers. It has suspense, chills, drama, a bit of romance, and high-packed action all the way for an easy read.
March 15, 2010
Very intense and riveting story! Great characterization and plot development. I was in the dark on the villain's identity all the way to the end. I will be looking for more by this author.
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September 30, 2013Fast read as good junker. If you're into legal, you'll like it!
October 22, 2013
Okay—nothing earth-shattering in plot or character, but an entertaining legal thriller for an airplane ride or beach read.
March 21, 2014
Good popcorn thriller.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews