The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

 

"My client played NFL football for three years. He had the battle scars to prove it. And I believe he would tell you that it was nothing compared to the blood sport of national politics, where people will do anything and everything to gain advantage over the competition. Like rehashing old rumors. Trolling for coincidences. Playing on sympathies for a beautiful young woman who died too soon. Somebody has to pay, right?"    

         -Tess Hardy, defense attorney

This novel is most definitely a page turner! I read it in 3 days which is unusual for me. In fact, I could barely put it down! 

There is a female U.S. president, Madeline Parson Wright, who is trying to fulfill campaign promises and make a positive difference for Americans when her husband, First Gentleman Cole Wright is arrested for the homicide of a young woman almost 2 decades before. While she is trying to get an important bill passed, dealing with international issues and worrying about her husband, Cole is being defended in court by Tess Hardy, a tough attorney. (quoted above)

Meanwhile investigative journalists/co-writers Garrett Wilson and Brea Cooke are tracking down every lead to try to prove Cole's guilt and gain material for the book they will write. But just as with most thrillers, someone is stealthily working to bring down the First Gentleman and the Wright administration along with him. And several people are killed while the reader is wondering WHO and WHY.

Although there were many characters to keep track of and some political stuff that was beyond my comprehension, I really enjoyed this novel. Rating: 5. The short chapters, many ending with cliffhangers, kept me turning pages rapidly.