A timely, interesting concept for a novel. What would happen if one of the states (in this case, North Dakota) attempted to secede from the United States? What with the red/blue divisions we are currently experiencing, I did not find the idea to be too "far-out-there".
And the author wrote a good story, for the most part. I found the main character development to be well thought out, and the writing "flowed" well.
But.....(spoilers ahead).
I found the idea that a small number (maybe 5) of people could overthrow a state's government and declare it's removal from the union to be unrealistic. Honestly, just because someone is elected governor means that all other government agencies are going to throw their lot in with her? The US Senators, US Congressmen, the Federal (and State and local) law enforcement agencies? And that the US President is just going to stand by as this group takes over military bases, makes globally reaching decisions, and threatens war? In fact, no one, not the FBI/CIA/Homeland Security, is able to root out any of this, but a simple news reporter could? Not hardly.
And then there are the sloppy mistakes, somethings that should have been caught in editing. "She also got a permit and bought a handgun-she refuses to touch an automatic, she considers them killing machines that should be banned" (uhh, handguns cannot be "automatic"?). And identifying the second in command of an important military base as a Corporal. And having to identify any (several) characters as being "black"; you didn't id the other characters as white/asian/etc, why does it matter if they are black? Or charging a Canadian citizen with treason against the US, is that really an option?
Despite the main character being kidnapped, threatened, having inside info on numerous murders, she blindly plunges forward, never alerting law enforcement. And despite her having knowledge about where nuclear missiles are being readied against the US in Canada, instead of calling out the calvary, she flies to Canada, where she single-handedly takes down the base where the missiles are, preventing their launch in the nick of time (where they were to be launched with the stereotypical red button).
And, finally, after approximately 330 pages, the entire "suspenseful" ending is done in about 3 pages. Very rushed and unsatisfying.
I would really like to see this concept rewritten in a more thought out, "believable" manner. That would be a good book!

I am reading this book behind closed doors in my bedroom and just thinking this could happen has every hair on my neck raised and I can't even begin to count the goose pimples. It's like every other chapter someone is being murdered. And the people doing it are nobodies. They are just coming out of the woodwork.

The presidential candidate is looking like a puppet and his wife is looking like she holds the strings.

Erica Sparks is going way out of her way to figure out what exactly is going on with what looks to be the next president. This is definitely a book you cannot put down. With people being killed and others being blackmailed, you just never know what's coming next. I was worn out just keeping up with Erica chasing all the leads trying to figure it all out. The ending with the debate was crazy good. Congrats to Lis Wiehl on a great job.

Thanks to Thomas Zondervan for sending me the book to read and review. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Candidate (A Newsmakers Novel) by Lis Wiehl is about political intrigue and media manipulation. It reminded me of The Manchurian Candidate written by Richard Condon. It is an intense story. I gave it four stars.

 

I received a complimentary Kindle copy from Thomas Nelson and NetGalley. That did not change my opinion for this review.

 

Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Candidate-Newsmakers-Novel-Lis-Wiehl-ebook/dp/B01CXE9Q8C

In covering the presidential election campaign, star newsmaker Erica Sparks notices that favored candidate Senator Mike 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 the Ortizes’ strange relationship, the more intrigued she becomes. Erica begins an investigation. But everyone material to her probe ends up dead. With each death, her foreboding grows. Is she next? And can she find out in time if the country’s beloved candidate is what he seems . . . or a threat to national security?

what did I think of it, 4 stars

This is actual the first book that I've ever read by Lis Wiehl and I have to say it was better then I thought it was going to be even though its the second book in her series and I haven't read the first book I'm still glad that I give this a try, while I did like it I really did like it I just didn't love it, and that's not saying there's non thing wrong with it , it did in fact pull me into the story and once I started read it I was hooked , it just didn't make me love it , I loved the idea behind the story and I loved the main character Erica , who is and was an interesting character to read because she's flawed, human, smart, brave and savvy , plus I loved how suspenseful it was though out the story so much that I read in one setting, and will be pick it up as well as book one when I can , with that said I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review and that these are 100 % my own thoughts .

Intense! This book would be the perfect candidate for a film adaption. It was so intense, gripping and full of political intrigue that I was keen to read to the end. I'm not American, but there is a lot of hoopla surrounding this particular US election. This book couldn't have been read at a more perfect time! I can't wait to read more from this series, and the enigmatic Erika to stomp more stories in the stories. She really does have a way of getting the most dangerous stories to come to an end. If you haven't read the first one, that is ok, you won't miss much. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but I encourage you to go back and read The Newsmakers.