โ Scribed by Lewis, Tom
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
(Sun Journal, New Bern, NC June 1, 2008) Review by Ken Gruebel. TOM LEWIS DOES IT AGAIN WITH MY KING THE PRESIDENT. Tom Lewis, author of the groundbreaking series of stories about Pea Island with his opening novel, SUNDAY'S CHILD, has brought us a new and chilling novel from an entirely different perspective. Here are people born to wealth, born to power, and striving to hatch a cruel and vicious plan that looks on any power that is not absolute as not nearly enough power at all. The tale begins with a shocker. A Secret Service agent, one sworn to protect the President at all costs and in any situation, rises from a troubled sleep, reports to work at the White House, opens the door to the president's bedroom and fires several shots into Buck Tyndall, his father-in-law and the President of the United States. His mission accomplished, he turns the gun on himself and commits suicide. Enter Jeb Willard, a journalist. Not only is Jeb known worldwide for the depth of his reporting, but also he is a go anywhere, do anything kind of reporter when it comes to chasing a story down. And he knows there has to be a story. Thus he is not surprised when an editor for whom he formerly worked calls him and asks him to be the point man on the Presidential assassination story and the fallout from that event. But Willard, being rather famous for what he does, and before he can really get started, has another call. This one is from Helene Fordham, the Vice President, and now, as a result of the killing, the new President. She apparently wants him to do the same thing and find the reason for the killing and find out who is responsible. As Jeb starts his task, he becomes a lightning rod for danger for those who have contacted him. One person is found dead by hanging, a death not believed to really be a suicide. Another person is shot dead, almost right in front of him. As a final blow, Willard's father, editor and owner of a small newspaper, is apparently kidnapped by U.S. Army forces. It quickly becomes obvious that the killing of the President was not the result of one deranged Secret Service man, but the unraveling of a huge power grab by some people very high in the government. The story moves rapidly and while there are some revelations, each revelation is overtaken by yet new surprises and new events. Keeping pace with the action will keep the reader on his or her toes. Tom Lewis, the author, was at one time a symphony orchestra conductor, and thus his knowledge of classical music and classical music composers is legendary. Because my tastes in music range run more to the three Bs, barrelhouse, boogie-woogie, and the blues, I missed several clues that one more attuned to classical music would not have missed. The writing is crisp and the action, as befits the genre, is non-stop. Tom Lewis has a gift for the well-turned phrase. I'll give but one example, leaving the rest for you to discover for yourself. Describing a dramatic confrontation, our hero notes, ...the atmosphere was thicker than fog and heavier than lead. The story ranges from Washington, D.C. to the Florida Keys and off to the western states. In each area, there is a new twist to the plot. I enjoyed this book, and I imagine you will, too. Good story! --Sun Journal by Ken Gruebel
Investigative journalist, Jeb Willard, learns that his old college friend, a Secret Service agent, fatally shot the controversial President of the United States and then killed himself. Devastated, Jeb attends his friend's funeral where he is approached by a priest who gives Jeb a note from his Secret Service agent friend hinting of treason within the highest levels of the government. Uncertain what he should do, Jeb returns home to North Carolina to consult with Cal, his father and witty small town newspaper owner/editor. Cal advises Jeb to not get involved, at least not until more information is learned by the FBI and government investigators. Jeb follows his father's advice, but is eventually forced into action as the new President, Helene Fordham, calls him to Washington for a personal meeting. Jeb cannot refuse the persuasive first female President or her close friend, his former editor, and reluctantly agrees to begin his own investigation. It isn't long before Jeb, Cal, and Liz McCarty, the beautiful sister of the murderer, are running from the chief suspect, former Chief Justice Ezekial Koonce, as well as the FBI, police, a professional hit man, the Mafia, and even the U.S. Army! Stubbornly digging out facts of the conspiracy while barely keeping himself and his friends alive, Jeb manages to stay half a step ahead of all those in pursuit. With Cal's assistance, Jeb peels off layer after layer of the astonishing plot, which races through exciting and surprising turns of events, culminating in an amazing, highly explosive climax you won't believe!
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES
Overview: Kayla Bashe is a first-year student at the college that inspired the X-Mansion. She absolutely adores dogs of all sizes and the Rocky Horror Picture Show.