Review: Took me a while, but finally got it!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 7, 2012
I had this book on my Kindle for quite a while but finally got around to reading it. The jacket info sounded interesting and I was looking forward to it. Now one thing I need to point out is that the book is written by Keith Raffel, an American who has worked for the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. IT was read by me, a bog standard British woman. The reason I point this out is that if you struggle with American Politics, you may struggle with the initial concept of the book. However, don't let it faze you; I am certainly glad I persevered.In the beginning we meet Sam Rockman and his wife Rachel as they prepare to drive to the airport where Rachel is leaving for a trip. The worst imaginable happens and Sam Rockman's wife becomes a victim in the war against terrorism. Whilst Sam is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife, he is given the opportunity to work for the Senate Intelligence Committee. Sam takes up the offer and before long; the reader is taken into the crazy world of Politics in Washington D.C. At this point I loved the book, the writing was great but I soon realised it wasn't that straightforward.I am certainly not a stupid girl, however I have to be honest and say that American Politics are not my strong point. I found that at one point, I had to go back and check which character was doing what. I didn't let this put me off and carried on and without realising it before too long I had got to grips with who did what and for whom. Sometimes the wording of something would throw me slightly and I had to be careful that I didn't skim over if I wasn't sure, (a habit I am terrible with).At around the halfway point I realised that I actually really liked this political thriller. Sam was a great character and one that I would love to see again. In addition to him, Cecilia Plant turned out to be a lady I would also love to read some more of. There was plenty going on throughout the story and it keeps the interest of the reader especially with the very real threats presented to a country. Towards the last quarter of the book, the pace really picked up and I read the last part incredibly quickly. The ending was great and I realised how much I had enjoyed the book once I had finished.Overall, I really would recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy Political Thrillers. Just be warned, that if you aren't that au-fait with American Politics than it may take a little time to get into. Now I will look forward to future books by Keith Raffel.