​​​Genre: Political Thriller

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I have carefully avoided political thrillers taking place in Washington this year, but I decided to listen to a recommendation and give this one a chance. I never read a Marc Rainer novel before, and Death Votes Last: a Jeff Trask Crime Drama is the fifth in this series, so I was hesitant. I needn’t have been, because the book stood well on its own.

In an uncomfortable twist of fate, the senate in Rainer’s book is split 50/50, and that isn’t good enough for some politicians who want to ensure a win for every point on there agenda. The plan seemed easy enough...drug one of the senators right before he gets in his car, slip a bottle of pills in his pocket, and wait for him to get pulled over for erratic driving. This would take him out of the running in the next election, and a candidate more sympathetic to their cause could take his place.

When the senator loses control of his car and ends up dead, the equation changes and suddenly federal prosecutor Jeff Trask is looking at a possible murder. Suddenly there is more than one murder to solve, and complicating everything is the fact that the trial must take place in the political hotbed that is Washington, D.C.

Author Rainer does a good job involving his readers in the goings on during a trial, and I enjoyed seeing things through the prosecutor's eyes. Some of the happenings were too close to “ripped from the headlines” happenings for me to be entirely comfortable, but I recommend this book highly to anyone with an interest in political thrillers.

- Beverly 


Publisher - Gatekeeper Press
Date of Publication - ​​​November 10, 2017

Genre: Political Thriller

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After reading/reviewing The Advocate's Daughter by Franze, I searched out his previous book, The Last Justice, and read the first few pages.  When a book starts with the killing of six Supreme Court Justices, it better continue to deliver excitement throughout its pages. While much of the story was highly improbable, it did deliver on page turning excitement.  As I often say, if I wanted a story that was without unlikely happenings, I would read the newspaper.  When reading fiction, I often check reality at the door.

The first chapter begins six months after the massacre, when Jefferson McKenna, Solicitor General of the United States, is being questioned by NYPD Detectives Chase Assad and Emma Milstein about the murder of his former clerk, Parker Sinclair.  The reader soon realizes that McKenna, who has a connection with the President of the United States, is being set up.  The plot becomes a bit convoluted as we follow different leads and uncover different conspiracies.  

Watching the trouble that our current President is having while trying to appoint one Supreme Court justice to fill the spot left by the death Justice Scalia, it does not surprise me that desperate measures must be taken to fill the six vacancies in this book.  The compromise of allowing each party to select three uncontested justices, can only add to the destruction of the final step in our justice system.

Though complicated, the plot of Franze's book is fast moving and thought provoking.  His characters draw the reader in, and I did find myself holding my breath as McKenna gets into one scrape after another while trying to figure out who is setting him up. 

- Beverly



Publisher - Sterling and Ross
Date of Publication - ​​February 7, 2012

Genre: Political Thriller

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Years ago, authors of thrillers used Russia and the Cold War as their settings of choice, almost exclusively.  Books became redundant in their story-lines, and ultimately the genre began to feel stale.  In the past decade and a half Iran and terrorism have become the subjects to expound upon, and every author has his/her story.  In order to stand out, an author has to catch the reader on page one and never let go.  Tim Tigner is such an author, and his treatment of this subject matter sets him apart.

It is difficult to describe this book without giving away spoilers.  Odysseus and Cassandra Carr are twin FBI agents who find themselves on supposedly opposite sides of a terrifying plan.  Tigner's way with characterization has the reader either loving or hating so many characters that I had to take reading breaks to rest my emotions.

Odi wakes up in a hospital in Iran after surviving an attack that left his team dead. Cassi is dating the FBI director whose political aspirations are stronger than his feelings for her. Brother and sister are both in over their heads, and watching them try to figure out who the real enemy is kept me turning pages well into the night.  

Tim Tigner's life has been slightly more interesting than any of his characters, and it is easy to see how his stories are terrifyingly believable.  His experiences coupled with his storytelling talent make him a not to be missed author in this genre.  Although this book is several years old, it reads like yesterday's headlines and will definitely give you something to think about while listening to our leaders of today.

- Beverly


Publisher - Vontiv Publishing
Date of Publication - September 7, 2013

Genre: Political Thriller

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When Senator Lombard's fourteen year old daughter goes missing, and no one can claim the ten million dollar reward, murder is the most likely conclusion.  Ten years later, the former head of Senator Lombard's security team comes to hacker extraordinaire, Gibson Vaughn and asks him to help solve the mystery.  The Senator's daughter, Suzanne Lombard, had been one of Gibson's closest friends, and he agrees to help.  Of course there is bad blood between the then Senator, now Vice President, and the hacker who hacked into his personal information years ago.  Throw in a presidential campaign for Lombard, and you know you will have an interesting ride.

The story is a good one and kept me interested throughout. I tend to like political thrillers, especially if the characterizations are well done.  FitzSimmons did a good job on his character development, giving the reader a feel for each character, good or bad.

This smartly plotted novel mixes murder, politics and technology and comes up with a story that I am happy to recommend.

- Beverly


Publisher - Thomas and Mercer
Date of Publication - December 1, 2015

Genre: Political/Legal Thriller

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Is it possible to find real justice?  Can a jury be tamper proof?  What would you do for four million dollars?  Frey presents us with these questions and more in this novel to really get the reader thinking. Former Virginia governor, Victoria Lewis, believes that juries are being tampered with and has come up with a plan. Virginia will select two hundred people to become full time jurors for two years. They will live in a rebuilt prison and have no outside influence. For two million dollars a year they will have no contact with family or friends.  The hope is that these two years of isolation will allow a tamper free justice system.

So much is difficult to believe in this story...okay, people might give up family and friends, but can we imagine 200 people giving up Internet and television for two years?  I was sure that I would find this story too silly to enjoy, but I actually liked it.  There is political intrigue, conspiracy and too many bad guys, but it comes together as a fun read that sets the reader to thinking.

I could have done with a few less characters, but even that didn't deter me from wanting to keep reading.  If you are a Frey fan, and for the most part I am, than you won't be disappointed. He will make you wonder about our legal system, our political system, an the possibility of a group of people being able to actually run a jury tampering operation.  This is a good chance to suspend belief for a while and enjoy a good story.

- Beverly


Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - September 29, 2015

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 Genre: Political Thriller 

Americans seem fascinated with politics and the running of our country.  We are also very interested in as much gossip as we can be privy to when it comes to the occupants of the White House. Who better than former White House Communications Director Nicolle Wallace to share some tidbits with us.  She does so remarkably well in her newest novel, Madam President.

In this book, Charlotte Kramer is the forty-fifth President of the United States.  She decides to do something that no President has done before her, and allows a news team to follow her and her top staff for a day. Of course this is a novel so this day will turn out to be like no other. Unbelievably, five major attacks  occur on US soil. A cruise ship, two airports and the National Mall, home to the Smithsonian Institute in D. C. are all besieged. Her Secretary of Defense  and Press Secretary support the President while reassuring the country, but somehow personal issues get in the way.

This story is well written and certainly keeps the reader involved.  There is a great deal of focus on personal issues surrounding the women, and it reads more like a woman's novel than a true political thriller.  It is certainly character driven, and I love an author who makes characters come to life for me.  I also enjoyed watching how things developed in the White House and found myself wondering how much of this is truly accurate.

As a political thriller junky, at times I found Madam President almost too personalized, but it was a fun read that Sandra Brown readers are sure to enjoy.

- Beverly


Publisher - Atria/ Emily Bestler Books
Date of Publication - April 28,2015

Genre: Political Thriller

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The political climate in our country today is more frightening than any fiction I have read. Every day I become more disgusted with both political parties and a Congress that does nothing but obstruct.  I am not alone.  People on both sides are ready to do anything to get our country back on track.  Anything!

Max Allan Collins' newest book grabs our attention right away. Collins' Supreme Court is conservative heavy (strengthening the Patriot Act and reversing Roe vs Wade) and many people are unhappy about it.  So unhappy, in fact, that several conservative Supreme Court justices have been killed. With a liberal president in office, is someone trying to stack the deck?

Meet the books protagonist--- Secret Service agent Joseph Reeder, who took a bullet while guarding a president that he disliked.   Although he was a hero, he also was too obvious about his dislike of the strong conservative president he protected, and he became an outcast.  His knowledge and skill make him invaluable to one of his few remaining federal-cop friends, FBI Agent Gabe Sloan. Sloan, soon adds Reeder as a consultant to the multiagency task investigating the murder of the first murdered judge.  Things heat up and we are introduced to FBI agent Patti Rodgers when she begins working with Reeder.
The timing for the publication of this book could not have been better. It came out less then a week after our Supreme Court made two very conservative and very controversial decisions.  I found myself looking for (and maybe finding) similarities in Collins' court and our court.  Scary!

I am not sure that this book will give you that escape from reality that most fiction affords, but I guarantee that it will get you thinking well into the night.

- Beverly


Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - July 1, 2014

Genre: Political Thriller

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I am drawn to well written politically relevant thrillers, and Deep Deception definitely falls in that category.  James North, former political analyst and U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer,  did his research on climate change and the politics surrounding it.  He introduced a protagonist, Caroline Dupre, who has personal reasons to expose a diabolical plan.

Caroline's husband, a political activist, is killed during a protest he organized in Malaysia. She finds out that he was killed to keep him from revealing a plot by corrupt politicians and industrialists. Global Warming has become such a hot button topic, and it is good to see it handled well here.  These same assassins believe she has information that is also dangerous to their intended outcome.

Although I found the dialogue a bit drawn out in parts, the book was exciting to follow, as Caroline tries to save herself, her son and  millions of others.  It was fast moving and topical, and I am looking forward to North's next book

- Beverly


Publisher - Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd
Date of Publication - November 3, 2013

Genre: Political Thriller

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This is a story of intrigue, suspense, disaster and possible terrorism, but make no mistake, this is first and foremost a love story.

I have been following the adventures of Jack Swyteck for twenty years.  I have watched him develop over the years and was thrilled to see this one open with a wedding.  In Attorney Jack Swyteck's world it would be unusual to actually make it through a honeymoon though.

This story takes us to Cuba and a drilling explosion in Cuban waters.  The oil is flowing towards Florida shores, and the United States is helpless. Politically we are not allowed to even help with the clean-up.

Jack represents an American woman whose Cuban husband was killed on the rig.  As in all Grippando novels, Jack gets much more involved in the politics of the disaster than most lawyers would.  His new wife, Andie, is an FBI agent on an undercover mission that is also involved with this crisis.

The involvement of Jack's sidekick, Theo, gives the reader the lighter moments in this exciting novel.

Black Horizon should definitely be the next book you pick up.

 -Beverly
 

Publisher - HarperCollins
Date of Publication - March 4, 2014

Genre: Political Thriller

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Darla Cavanagh is a captivating protagonist for this topical story.  She left Philadelphia with her local football hero husband and moved to his home town of Jackson, Mississippi. She begins working as a detective for the sheriff's department but takes a leave of absence when her husband is suddenly killed in an automobile accident.
 
Reverend Jimmy Aldridge spends his days protesting in front of a women's clinic. It is there that he is shot dead one day, and though the list of suspects is long (and interesting), all eyes turn to the clinic's doctor, Stephen Nicoletti.  The sheriff convinces Darla to come back and work on the case.  I had trouble dealing with her Elvis impersonating partner but admit he added to the story.
 
Although there is nothing startling about the storyline, Gusick handles it well.  He makes the reader want to find out more about each character while shining a light on an uncomfortably controversial topic. I really enjoyed how well he portrayed the southern culture without focusing on stereotypical characterization.
 
I am hoping Gusick is working on a second book with these characters and recommend this one as a great first in a series.

- Beverly


Publisher - Alibi
Date of Publication - November 18, 2013