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Shall We Tell the President? by Jeffrey Archer
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Jeffrey Archer Edition: Mass Market Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2008-12-30 ISBN: 0312933517 Number of pages: 336 Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Book Reviews of Shall We Tell the President?Book Review: A good read, but not typical of Archer's work. Summary: 4 Stars
'Shall We Tell The President' is something a bit different from Jeffrey Archer. Instead of his usual character-driven epics, we're treated to a lean, taut political thriller involving the potential assassination of US President Florentyna Kane.
First, a clarification: 'Shall We Tell The President' was Archer's second book, written before 'Kane And Abel' and 'The Prodigal Daughter'. However, he later updated it to incorporate the events of those two books, namely Florentyna becoming the first female President of the United States. Apart from some editing to incorporate her character and life story, it's pretty much the same as the original, but note that the new edition does give away some spoilers and plot points from both `Kane..' and `Prodigal...'.
This is a highly readable book; well-paced and fast-moving. There is not much explicit action, but there is certainly plenty of intrigue, and several unexpected deaths. Archer draws on his own political experience and knowledge to portray the lives of politicians, the workings of Congress, and the difficulties in passing the controversial bill that forms the backdrop of the novel. This bill provides a reasonable motive for the various suspects, although you might question whether killing the President is the best way to achieve their aim (wouldn't public sympathy side overwhelmingly with Florentyna's cause if she were killed?).
The characterisation is a little shallow, but sufficient. Mark Andrews is the young, resourceful hero who is equally at home jumping in front of bullets, conducting painstaking political research, or charming the pants off the lovely Elizabeth Dexter. Dr Dexter isn't a particularly important character in her own right, but has an essential connection to Andrews' investigation. The combination of his personal and professional pursuit of Elizabeth adds an interesting element to the story. Unusually, the antagonists remain quite mysterious and elusive even at the very end of the novel, with one appearing to having made a successful getaway.
In all, this is a very good read, albeit a little different from some of Archer's other works. Along with `Not A Penny More...', it's probably the best place to start before tackling some of Archer's more epic works.
Summary of Shall We Tell the President?After years of great sacrifice and deep personal tragedy, Florentyna Kane?s has finally become the first woman president in America. But on the very day that she is sworn into office, powerful forces are already in motion to take her life. The FBI investigates thousands of false threats every year. This time, a reliable source has tipped them off about an assassination attempt. One hour later, the informant and all but one of the investigating agents are dead. The lone survivor: FBI Special Agent Mark Andrews. Now, only he knows when the killers will strike. But how can he alone unravel a ruthless conspiracy?in less than one week? The race to save the first woman president begins now?
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