I Do Solemnly Swear
Feminists, rejoice: Kansas farm girl Kate Miles takes office as the first female president when the president dies of a coronary less than a year into his administration. However, the former first lady warns the new president that something is amiss about her husband’s death, and away we go into conspiracy land. The new president has her hands full with the selection of a new vice president, a crumbling marriage, a Middle East crisis, the investigation into the apparent assassination, and a staff with varying allegiances. Unfortunately, the only characters that are fully fleshed out are President Miles and the bad guy with the requisite abusive childhood. The rest of the cast dances across the pages with no motivation, no background, and, occasionally, no purpose. If all this sounds a bit clichéd, it is; nonetheless, the pages fly by despite the occasional jolting transitions in story line and the trite ending that leaves the door wide open for a sequel. While not in the same class as Brad Meltzer, Vince Flynn, or David Baldacci, Annechino will still appeal to those junkies who take their political thrillers any way they can get them. --Stacy Alesi