Ex Officio

by Timothy J. Culver, Donald E. Westlake

An ailing ex-president attempts to return to the world stage
Few retirements are tougher than that of a former president. For more than a decade, the once-powerful Bradford Lockridge, whose presidency was cut short after one term, has slipped further and further into obscurity. At his lowest point, he flies to California to attend the opening of a supermarket, just for a chance to get some sunshine. After the ceremony ends, Lockridge faints, waking up after a few minutes, confused and stuttering. The ex-president is beginning to die.
Before he goes, he wants one last chance to change the world. An arms race is developing with Communist China, and Lockridge had more success than any other president in dealing with the Reds. The world has passed him by, but this ex-president still wants to save it--even if it means risking his own life.

589 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

A pseudonym used by Donald E. Westlake.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 2 out of 5]

At about 50% DNF

Long, ponderous book. I can almost hear creaking as I turn the pages. Whatever it is, it is not a mystery or typical Donald Westlake. There are some good but fleeting observations about politics, life, health, people, etc.

[John Marr · Rating 2 out of 5]

A ponderous, slow moving novel about an ex-president out to re-establish an important role in public life, even as unbeknownst to him a series of strokes are sending him down an ultimately irrational path. Really, the first 75% of the book is primarily character studies of a massive cast of WASP types, some of whom confusingly share names. It's only in the last quarter that a cloak and dagger sub-plot livens things up a bit. The onething that kept me going was that inimitable edge that Westlake always had, the sharp bit of dialog, the pointed charaterization, the light bits of understated humor. It may be the worst Westlake I've ever read--but that's still far from bad

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very odd book. For some reason Westlake's name is attached to it. The plot is a mess. The book is overlong. The copyright is held by a third party.

Don't bother.

[Matthew Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Donald Westlake books and have read many of them. In my opinion this was one of the weaker ones and had a different style. To me the book was kind of inconsistent, some really interesting sections and some slower ones. I notice the book is somewhat longer than his other books and I felt that it could have used some editing or feedback to tighten it up some because I felt especially in the middle it just pondered some.

What was a little more disappointing was the ending, unlike most Westlake I didn't find the ending a surprise and if fact felt he telegraphed it earlier in the book. Furthermore I felt it to be a pretty unsatisfactory ending. I also felt the general tone towards the end seemed somewhat cynical.

One also finds in this a crutch rarely seen, at least in my experience, in other Westlake, sex (lightly done). He still writes well in this book however not nearly as tight or imaginative as his classics.

There is a reason why the caper and mystery books originally under his name are more popular and well known. This book while readable and moderately enjoyable is definitely not at the level of his other works.