Nine stars
Political thrillers can be quite strong or overly repetitive, depending on the writer. Joseph Flynn has come to impress me with this series, which is heavy on its politics, but also juggles other strong themes throughout. Five novels in and there is a great deal going on already. Series fans will know that this is the second part of a duology within the series, as a presidential election is in the making with three parties and candidates on all sides tossing mud at one another. Key political themes emerge and the electorate is at its core, though nothing is quite as it seems. Jim McGill, husband to the sitting president, has his own issues and is sure to keep his cool as best he can, though there is no time to rest on his laurels. Flynn weaves a story that keeps the reader front and centre, providing another great thriller that is sure to keep the story on point.
The story continues on nicely from the previous book, part one of the duology about the upcoming presidential election. Sitting President, Patricia Grant, is ready to face the nation and dispel many of the attacks that have been coming from two other parties. She is not quite sure how to approach some of the electoral systems, many of which she feels are broken. With two vacancies on the US Supreme Court, President Grant tosses down the gauntlet and makes her plan to run a clean and new approach election.
With the primaries in the rearview mirror, all three candidates will seek to grab the largest collection of the electorate, pivoting to garner the attention of many. While President Grant has her own views, there are two other powerful and well-experienced politicians ready to woo the electorate with their experience and new ideas. Smears and mud flinging is to be expected, but Jim McGill will have to try his best not to stymie his wife's campaign by being too vocal.
All the while, three men are on the loose, still not having been captured by the CIA, with McGill in their sights to kill. This will surely cause a great deal of issues for the country, though thy do not yet know it. The election is but one storyline in this novel, as many of the returning characters advance their own situations and Flynn develops many plot lines to keep the reader highly entertained. Flynn does a masterful job and left me eager to reach for the next piece to see what's to come, especiallywith another cliffhanger.
Joseph Flynn shows once more how much skill and strong writing he has with yet another political thriller. Working to connect one novel to the next, Flynn builds a well-crafted narrative that advances the ongoing story effectively, leaving the reader wanting to know more. Political development is at the core of the book, though there are many characters whose personal development are addressed and advanced throughout the novel, dazzling the reader with Flynn's multi-faceted abilities. Series fans will be able to follow much of the advancement, as well as some of the added backstory keeping the novels tightly connected from piece to piece.
There are many plot points Flynn tries to address in this piece, effective in many of them. While the hunt to harm McGill is secondary, it is present throughout the novel and keeps the reader on edge. The political developments are great, though I felt some aspects were too rushed and skipped over. This was a great crossroads in the series that Flynn cold have dived in to create a multi-layered political classic. Rather, he sought to stuff a number of events into a single story. Perhaps this will be balanced it in future novels, but I had hoped to see a real battle between executive and legislative branches, which is diluted as President Grant tries to set the path for her re-election. I will leave it at that and am eager to get my hands on the next book, in hopes of remaining as intrigued with the entire political and personal progressions.
Kudos, Mr. Flynn, for a gripping election-based story.
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