The Candidate. A Book Review.

How far will a candidate go to be President of the United States? That's the question we're faced with in The Candidate by Lis Wiehl. This is the second book in Wiehl's Newsmakers series, but is easily read on its own without having read the first book.

This the story of television journalist Erica Sparks, who is right in the middle of covering the current presidential election campaign. Senator Mike Ortiz is a war hero who is favored to win the White House. As she covers his campaign, Sparks notices that Senator Ortiz seems dependent on his wife to an unnatural degree. Celeste Ortiz is a brilliant and glamorous billionaire who—along with her best friend and confidant Lily Lau—has engineered her husband’s meteoric rise. The White House is within their reach. But the more Erica investigates Ortiz, the more intrigued and troubled she becomes. Erica's relentless search for the truth puts her life in danger, as well as threatens the lives of those close to her.

This novel reads like something plucked from the morning newspaper or the evening news. Sparks' investigation reveals that, as is often true in politics, things are not exactly what they seem. This is a tightly woven story of political intrigue and media manipulation. It is fast-paced, realistic, and very intense. And, in this election season, perhaps a little unsettling.

In addition to the political storyline, there is also the story of Erica's relationship with her daughter Jenny. as well as her relationship with her fiancé Greg to add interest to the story. These personal relationships also give us a little relief from the intensity of the political storyline.

Conspiracies. Mind games. Murder. Deception. All these and more are a part of The Candidate. If you enjoy political thrillers, this may be one you would like to try. Unlike many books in this genre, this one does not rely on gratuitous profanity and violence, and I found that refreshing.

With her background as a federal prosecutor and now television legal analyst, Wiehl certainly has the credentials to give us a realistic portrayal of the lengths to which some people will go to achieve their goals. She has done exactly that, and done it well.

BookLookBloggers and Thomas Nelson Publishing provided me with a free copy of The Candidate in exchange for my honest opinion.