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A Quiet Life
It was just a link in an email. Michael Housen is living a typical, white-collar American life at a security company when he falls for a phishing campaign with dire implications. One click, and suddenly the US is under martial law and bombing Tehran. Michael unknowingly triggered a cyberattack by Iranian hackers, which a belligerent President Davis uses as pretext for war against Iran. Michael blinks and he and his wife, Pam, are thrown into private prisons owned by the president, a multibillionaire tycoon. This ordinary couple suddenly must answer a harrowing question: What do you do when the enemy of the state is you? And they find themselves cooperating with extraordinary partners, from right-wing militias to Iranian documentarians, as they work to clear their names and stop the global conflict that Michael set off with an unwitting click. Written by a renowned cybersecurity attorney and a bestselling author, A Quiet Life is a cyberthriller for the times that we all live in, and how we can lose everything on the strength of a lie. And how once we start fighting back, we cannot stop.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2024
9 people are currently reading
6503 people want to read
About the author
William Cooper
4 books317 followersWilliam Cooper is the author of The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld: A Novel. An attorney and national columnist, his writings have appeared in hundreds of publications globally including The New York Times, CNN, and Newsweek. He hosts the “Books and More” podcast. Publishers Weekly calls his commentary about American politics “a compelling rallying cry for democratic institutions under threat in America.” Visit him online at will-cooper.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 31, 2024
This was a fast and fun read. In general, reading fiction about my profession (cyber risk and security) is usually annoying to me - it's too technical for laypeople or too overly explained for someone like me who already knows what's up. This was neither. It assumed the reader was smart enough to grasp the basics and ran with it. I appreciated that, especially since the cyberattack was only the setup to the story and not the crux of it.
Though it was written by two people, it felt pretty cohesive all throughout. I was amused by the very thinly veiled parallels to our current political climate in the US. It reminded me a bit of how when the movie Wag the Dog came out, it was overly obvious that it was about Bill Clinton trying to deflect from his latest sex scandal (he bombed Afghanistan and Sudan to try to get the country to talk about anything but Monica Lewinsky).
This book gave me permission to make light of some of the catastrophizing I've been doing (comes with the profession). In some ways, it felt like it catastrophized exactly as I've been fearing the world would be in this next administration. Only difference is that I'm not convinced the Vance is any less dangerous than Dumpty. At least in this book, order might be restored - maybe...It ended on a cliffhanger, so I'm looking forward to the second book.
Rounding up to 4.
PS, a couple of notes. There was a line in there about how some of the Keep America Great lovers (I assume they represented the MAGA contingent in book) were ignorant but not malicious. I've been thinking about this, and I don't think that's true. Even if people voted based on a single issue, Dumpty has been very hostilely open about who he is, what he plans to do, and even had it spelled out in Project 2025 (yeah, yeah, he says he had nothing to do with it, but his narcissism and inability to tell the truth will eventually show he more than endorsed it). So those who voted him in did that knowing what he represented (racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny, Islamophobia, etc.) and then hid behind the single issue they voted for to say that's why they voted for him, but it's impossible to separate one issue from the whole person, or in this case, a monster. They chose a monster. They got him. They can't say they didn't know what they were getting. He already showed us the first time around. This second time, he's going to be bolder and more aggressive. he knows what he can get away with and he's going to keep pushing the envelope, because that's what megalomaniacs do.
One more thing - why do writers tend to make all their characters have blue eyes (most often) or green eyes? Only 2% of the world has green eyes, and yet, both Iranian women had green eyes in this book and all the rest of the people whose eye colors were mentioned had blues eyes (maybe one had brown eyes). As a brown-eyed person, I ask - can we please have more books with people brown eyes? They come in many shades and are also quite beautiful!
Though it was written by two people, it felt pretty cohesive all throughout. I was amused by the very thinly veiled parallels to our current political climate in the US. It reminded me a bit of how when the movie Wag the Dog came out, it was overly obvious that it was about Bill Clinton trying to deflect from his latest sex scandal (he bombed Afghanistan and Sudan to try to get the country to talk about anything but Monica Lewinsky).
This book gave me permission to make light of some of the catastrophizing I've been doing (comes with the profession). In some ways, it felt like it catastrophized exactly as I've been fearing the world would be in this next administration. Only difference is that I'm not convinced the Vance is any less dangerous than Dumpty. At least in this book, order might be restored - maybe...It ended on a cliffhanger, so I'm looking forward to the second book.
Rounding up to 4.
PS, a couple of notes. There was a line in there about how some of the Keep America Great lovers (I assume they represented the MAGA contingent in book) were ignorant but not malicious. I've been thinking about this, and I don't think that's true. Even if people voted based on a single issue, Dumpty has been very hostilely open about who he is, what he plans to do, and even had it spelled out in Project 2025 (yeah, yeah, he says he had nothing to do with it, but his narcissism and inability to tell the truth will eventually show he more than endorsed it). So those who voted him in did that knowing what he represented (racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny, Islamophobia, etc.) and then hid behind the single issue they voted for to say that's why they voted for him, but it's impossible to separate one issue from the whole person, or in this case, a monster. They chose a monster. They got him. They can't say they didn't know what they were getting. He already showed us the first time around. This second time, he's going to be bolder and more aggressive. he knows what he can get away with and he's going to keep pushing the envelope, because that's what megalomaniacs do.
One more thing - why do writers tend to make all their characters have blue eyes (most often) or green eyes? Only 2% of the world has green eyes, and yet, both Iranian women had green eyes in this book and all the rest of the people whose eye colors were mentioned had blues eyes (maybe one had brown eyes). As a brown-eyed person, I ask - can we please have more books with people brown eyes? They come in many shades and are also quite beautiful!
January 27, 2025
Am updating my review of A Quiet Life, my first novel, and providing the first chapter here. The book is about a rogue tech billionaire who becomes president in 2032, violently shuts down the border, and goes after an innocent married couple.
Michael and Pamela Housen's world is turned upside down when they become enemies of the
state and a dangerous president. Michael works in marketing at high-powered Armor Security, the maker of internet-connected video cameras. He doesn’t think much before clicking on a link in an email at work. But he soon learns he was the victim of a phishing campaign that allows Iranian cyber hackers to compromise the company and, in turn, its customer the U.S. Treasury department.
Very quickly, Michael and Pam find themselves in prison and America finds itself at war with Iran, thanks to a President who’s been looking for an excuse to attack Iran (and who also owns the prison).
It’s a war that upends the quiet life of Michael and Pam, a daughter of Iranian immigrants. The couple realizes only they can stop the war and prove they are innocent. Michael compromises his jailers to get himself and Pam out of jail. Then, with Pam’s help, he joins a radical militia supporting the President--and his draconian immigration policies--to get closer to his machinations. They ultimately get much closer than they ever imagined.
Here's the first chapter:
Chapter 1
Tuesday, June 21.
It was 2:15 a.m. and the stars glittered in the sky outside our window. A soft light entered the bedroom and blanketed most of the light-blue Persian rug lying atop the hardwood floor. The night was quiet.
My mind, however, was racing.
I kept thinking about Pam’s sleeping pills. The ones she had started
taking as work got more stressful. I had already opened the bottle twice and peered inside but was too worried that if I was sedated, I wouldn’t be able to handle another surprise the right way. So I held back.
I couldn’t get FBI Special Agent Weiss’s face out of my mind. “Subpoenas are coming,” she had told me about twelve hours before, her sharp green eyes unblinking as she looked right through me, as if envisioning me in a dark steel prison cell. What did she mean? Was I supposed to do something? I still didn’t have a lawyer. How do you find a good national-security lawyer in the middle of rural Indiana?
The way Agent Weiss said it — the cool, complete certainty in her voice — was deeply unsettling.
And as I heard her calm, cold warning, my boss’s words pinballed in my mind again and again:
“You are a suspect.”
“You are a suspect.”
“You are a suspect.”
I sat up in bed and turned on the television, quickly muting it. Pam, to my right, was finally asleep. I could hear the familiar purr of her soft snore. SportsCenter came on, but I had already watched it. Up one channel was HBO. No Country for Old Men was on. But I was not in the mood for a movie — at least not one with the sound off. So I reluctantly punched the number for GNC into the remote and, grimacing, pressed enter.
The screen immediately lit up the dark room. Chicago was burning. Flames were blazing into the sky from several buildings downtown and giant plumes of smoke obscured the skyline.
My spine stiffened. I swallowed my breath.
The Chicago River, separating the two sides of downtown, was orange, reflecting the hovering flames. I turned up the volume just enough to hear the audio. The GNC correspondent, Janine Wood,
stared into the camera with her deep brown eyes. I always loved her work because nothing frazzled her. Until now. She explained that a series of bombs had exploded only minutes before. Two separate buildings had been hit, she said, her eyes wet, her voice trembling. The Iranian government had already taken responsibility. One of the bombs, Wood continued, had been strapped to a man who reportedly was screaming “Iran is king! America no more!” before it detonated in the lobby of a fifty-five-story skyscraper on Wacker Drive.
Chunks of the nearby riverfront Davis Hotel — insulation, glass, and other debris — were floating down the river. The building was in flames. Meanwhile, in Tehran, US and Israeli air strikes were intensifying. Wood reported that NATO’s secretary general warned that NATO countries would participate in the United States’ and Israel’s illegal actions at peril of their membership.
GNC’s footage showed billows of dark smoke engulfing the Iranian capital in midmorning. The bombs’ pyrotechnics glittered in the smoke, and the sky filled with popping bright flashes of yellow. US fighter jets raced across the screen.
Wood explained that the campaign had broadened beyond Tehran, with reports of air strikes in Ahvaz, Rasht, Qom, and Kermanshah. Her strong voice sounded like it was going to break in half.
And then I felt that familiar queasiness when I saw the president, Brian Davis, appear on the screen from the waist up. His black hair was slicked back, revealing an uneven, receding hairline above his scaly white forehead. While the forty-seven-year-old’s paunch was a little bigger than normal, his shoulders and pectorals were typically awkward and oversized (rumor has it he takes cutting-edge synthetic steroids developed at one of his private company’s labs). His thin lips were pursed in smug self-approval — as always. As his dark, shiny eyes danced around frenetically above dark and puffy pockets, one of his Davis Truths rolled out along the bottom of the screen like the punch line to a bad joke: “IRAN HAS LEFT US NO OPTION. IT WILL NOW BE TOTALLY DESTROYED.”
Before Davis said a word the screen suddenly went black. After a few seconds he was replaced with a gray-bearded man in a white turban and a black robe, glaring out at the world through thick black horn-rimmed glasses, as if the Great Satan were before his eyes. It was Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Rhouhani, and as I read the subtitles, my stomach tightened into a rock-hard knot of fear:
“The United States’ belligerence will not stand. These war crimes are predicated on a lie. It has chosen a path that will not destroy Iran but rather its own people. Every measure the US takes against Iran will lead to a more powerful countermeasure by Iran. The lessons of the last century — ”
The speech was cut off. It was replaced by aerial footage showing large fires concentrated on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. Several buildings had been hit. Helicopters were landing on top of the Staples Center, and Disneyland was now an evacuation center. Janine Wood came back on the screen, barely holding herself together. “We have, moreover, learned from American intelligence sources that there are concerns Iran may have gained access to the US electrical grid through its cyber-operations. President Davis will address the nation again in about ten minutes.”
Pam awoke and slowly sat up. She looked at me, her soft and sleepy face illuminated by the television screen’s light and clouded with worry as she saw the destruction unfolding on GNC. She put her left hand on my right shoulder and squeezed hard.
“Mikey, what’s going on? Mikey?” she said softly, squinting her eyes. I could feel her wedding band cold on my skin. She stared at me, then back at the television — terror and confusion in her turquoise eyes. Then back to me. Her long dark hair swung on her shoulders with each turn.
Another Davis Truth blazed across the bottom of the screen: “American people, hold tight. I have this completely under control. Total control. I am with our great generals right now. Iran has made a series of strategic miscalculations. First with its unprovoked cyberattack on our government and now with terrorist attacks on US soil. This will be a great victory for the United States — a great victory — and it will be over soon.”
“Mikey, answer me,” Pam pleaded in an alarmed, trembling voice. I wanted to speak to her, to tell her what I knew, but I was paralyzed by my own fear.
The GNC screen showed a photo of Russian president Igor Pryosnev, chiseled and stern, his black hair shining in stark contrast to his pale white skin. He was smirking, seemingly amused by the unfolding events. The ticker displayed his statement: “Neither Russia nor the world will stand for this dangerous American aggression. America has long been the central global player in cyber warfare. It is transparently using Iran’s cyber activities as a pretext to meddle in the Middle East, yet again, in an impotent, embarrassing effort to cling to its ever-shrinking stature in the world order. Russia stands by Iran and — ”
Suddenly, the television went black. The silent flat-screen disappeared into the dark wall behind it.
“Mikey?” Pam said, her voice trembling as I sat frozen with shock, staring ahead. “What’s going on? Mikey? Answer me. Mikey. What’s wrong with you?”
The alarm clock beside the bed came back on and started flashing:
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
The TV violently flashed on and off.
The streetlights outside flickered, bringing our neighborhood’s dense rows of middle-American suburban tract houses in and out of view. Then the alarm clock, the television, and the streetlights went out completely. Only the stars outside and the fully charged phones beside the bed emitted light. There were screams coming from several homes on the block. A chorus of barking dogs grew louder. A few neighbors were congregating in the street in their pajamas. Pam picked up her phone while I continued to stare at the blank television. She tried to go on the internet, but her phone rejected her: “no connection.” She reached across me violently and grabbed my phone. Same thing.
She slammed it back down loudly on the bedside cabinet, knocking over my glass of water into the bed, and then shifted back to her side of the bed. I could feel the cold water seeping through my boxer shorts.
“Mikey,” Pam whispered intensely, scared to raise her voice in the dark night. Trembling, she grabbed my shoulder and tried to turn my body toward hers. “Answer me. What’s going on?”
Things kept spiraling faster and faster in my mind, and the worst part of it all was that I didn’t know when — or if — it would all stop. I did not know how bad this would get. I felt like I was driving a race car in a thick fog and even though my foot had pressed the pedal all the way down, the car kept going faster and faster and faster.
“Mikey,” Pam repeated, gripping my sweating face with both hands and pulling it to hers. Tears racing down her cheeks. Her lips quivering. Her hair draped across my bare, sweating shoulders. The right strap to her nightgown had fallen to the middle of her arm and her eyes, inches from mine, glowed frantically in the dim light.
“Mikey,” Pam said, again, her voice rising. Her shaking hands tightened their grip on my face. Her nose mashed against mine. I could see her eyes. I could hear her pleas. I could smell her breath. But the words were stuck behind a wall of my own fear.
“Michael Talbot Housen,” she pleaded. “Answer me.” She looked like I was breaking her great heart. And that look reached my heart and breached the wall. I could not let my wife suffer without me. We were together in everything, including this. So I told her. I told her that I — the most unimportant, the most anonymous, the most innocuous person on the planet — was responsible for this. “Pam,” I said, my voice sounding like it was underwater. “I did this. The war is my fault.”
Michael and Pamela Housen's world is turned upside down when they become enemies of the
state and a dangerous president. Michael works in marketing at high-powered Armor Security, the maker of internet-connected video cameras. He doesn’t think much before clicking on a link in an email at work. But he soon learns he was the victim of a phishing campaign that allows Iranian cyber hackers to compromise the company and, in turn, its customer the U.S. Treasury department.
Very quickly, Michael and Pam find themselves in prison and America finds itself at war with Iran, thanks to a President who’s been looking for an excuse to attack Iran (and who also owns the prison).
It’s a war that upends the quiet life of Michael and Pam, a daughter of Iranian immigrants. The couple realizes only they can stop the war and prove they are innocent. Michael compromises his jailers to get himself and Pam out of jail. Then, with Pam’s help, he joins a radical militia supporting the President--and his draconian immigration policies--to get closer to his machinations. They ultimately get much closer than they ever imagined.
Here's the first chapter:
Chapter 1
Tuesday, June 21.
It was 2:15 a.m. and the stars glittered in the sky outside our window. A soft light entered the bedroom and blanketed most of the light-blue Persian rug lying atop the hardwood floor. The night was quiet.
My mind, however, was racing.
I kept thinking about Pam’s sleeping pills. The ones she had started
taking as work got more stressful. I had already opened the bottle twice and peered inside but was too worried that if I was sedated, I wouldn’t be able to handle another surprise the right way. So I held back.
I couldn’t get FBI Special Agent Weiss’s face out of my mind. “Subpoenas are coming,” she had told me about twelve hours before, her sharp green eyes unblinking as she looked right through me, as if envisioning me in a dark steel prison cell. What did she mean? Was I supposed to do something? I still didn’t have a lawyer. How do you find a good national-security lawyer in the middle of rural Indiana?
The way Agent Weiss said it — the cool, complete certainty in her voice — was deeply unsettling.
And as I heard her calm, cold warning, my boss’s words pinballed in my mind again and again:
“You are a suspect.”
“You are a suspect.”
“You are a suspect.”
I sat up in bed and turned on the television, quickly muting it. Pam, to my right, was finally asleep. I could hear the familiar purr of her soft snore. SportsCenter came on, but I had already watched it. Up one channel was HBO. No Country for Old Men was on. But I was not in the mood for a movie — at least not one with the sound off. So I reluctantly punched the number for GNC into the remote and, grimacing, pressed enter.
The screen immediately lit up the dark room. Chicago was burning. Flames were blazing into the sky from several buildings downtown and giant plumes of smoke obscured the skyline.
My spine stiffened. I swallowed my breath.
The Chicago River, separating the two sides of downtown, was orange, reflecting the hovering flames. I turned up the volume just enough to hear the audio. The GNC correspondent, Janine Wood,
stared into the camera with her deep brown eyes. I always loved her work because nothing frazzled her. Until now. She explained that a series of bombs had exploded only minutes before. Two separate buildings had been hit, she said, her eyes wet, her voice trembling. The Iranian government had already taken responsibility. One of the bombs, Wood continued, had been strapped to a man who reportedly was screaming “Iran is king! America no more!” before it detonated in the lobby of a fifty-five-story skyscraper on Wacker Drive.
Chunks of the nearby riverfront Davis Hotel — insulation, glass, and other debris — were floating down the river. The building was in flames. Meanwhile, in Tehran, US and Israeli air strikes were intensifying. Wood reported that NATO’s secretary general warned that NATO countries would participate in the United States’ and Israel’s illegal actions at peril of their membership.
GNC’s footage showed billows of dark smoke engulfing the Iranian capital in midmorning. The bombs’ pyrotechnics glittered in the smoke, and the sky filled with popping bright flashes of yellow. US fighter jets raced across the screen.
Wood explained that the campaign had broadened beyond Tehran, with reports of air strikes in Ahvaz, Rasht, Qom, and Kermanshah. Her strong voice sounded like it was going to break in half.
And then I felt that familiar queasiness when I saw the president, Brian Davis, appear on the screen from the waist up. His black hair was slicked back, revealing an uneven, receding hairline above his scaly white forehead. While the forty-seven-year-old’s paunch was a little bigger than normal, his shoulders and pectorals were typically awkward and oversized (rumor has it he takes cutting-edge synthetic steroids developed at one of his private company’s labs). His thin lips were pursed in smug self-approval — as always. As his dark, shiny eyes danced around frenetically above dark and puffy pockets, one of his Davis Truths rolled out along the bottom of the screen like the punch line to a bad joke: “IRAN HAS LEFT US NO OPTION. IT WILL NOW BE TOTALLY DESTROYED.”
Before Davis said a word the screen suddenly went black. After a few seconds he was replaced with a gray-bearded man in a white turban and a black robe, glaring out at the world through thick black horn-rimmed glasses, as if the Great Satan were before his eyes. It was Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Rhouhani, and as I read the subtitles, my stomach tightened into a rock-hard knot of fear:
“The United States’ belligerence will not stand. These war crimes are predicated on a lie. It has chosen a path that will not destroy Iran but rather its own people. Every measure the US takes against Iran will lead to a more powerful countermeasure by Iran. The lessons of the last century — ”
The speech was cut off. It was replaced by aerial footage showing large fires concentrated on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. Several buildings had been hit. Helicopters were landing on top of the Staples Center, and Disneyland was now an evacuation center. Janine Wood came back on the screen, barely holding herself together. “We have, moreover, learned from American intelligence sources that there are concerns Iran may have gained access to the US electrical grid through its cyber-operations. President Davis will address the nation again in about ten minutes.”
Pam awoke and slowly sat up. She looked at me, her soft and sleepy face illuminated by the television screen’s light and clouded with worry as she saw the destruction unfolding on GNC. She put her left hand on my right shoulder and squeezed hard.
“Mikey, what’s going on? Mikey?” she said softly, squinting her eyes. I could feel her wedding band cold on my skin. She stared at me, then back at the television — terror and confusion in her turquoise eyes. Then back to me. Her long dark hair swung on her shoulders with each turn.
Another Davis Truth blazed across the bottom of the screen: “American people, hold tight. I have this completely under control. Total control. I am with our great generals right now. Iran has made a series of strategic miscalculations. First with its unprovoked cyberattack on our government and now with terrorist attacks on US soil. This will be a great victory for the United States — a great victory — and it will be over soon.”
“Mikey, answer me,” Pam pleaded in an alarmed, trembling voice. I wanted to speak to her, to tell her what I knew, but I was paralyzed by my own fear.
The GNC screen showed a photo of Russian president Igor Pryosnev, chiseled and stern, his black hair shining in stark contrast to his pale white skin. He was smirking, seemingly amused by the unfolding events. The ticker displayed his statement: “Neither Russia nor the world will stand for this dangerous American aggression. America has long been the central global player in cyber warfare. It is transparently using Iran’s cyber activities as a pretext to meddle in the Middle East, yet again, in an impotent, embarrassing effort to cling to its ever-shrinking stature in the world order. Russia stands by Iran and — ”
Suddenly, the television went black. The silent flat-screen disappeared into the dark wall behind it.
“Mikey?” Pam said, her voice trembling as I sat frozen with shock, staring ahead. “What’s going on? Mikey? Answer me. Mikey. What’s wrong with you?”
The alarm clock beside the bed came back on and started flashing:
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
“12:00.”
The TV violently flashed on and off.
The streetlights outside flickered, bringing our neighborhood’s dense rows of middle-American suburban tract houses in and out of view. Then the alarm clock, the television, and the streetlights went out completely. Only the stars outside and the fully charged phones beside the bed emitted light. There were screams coming from several homes on the block. A chorus of barking dogs grew louder. A few neighbors were congregating in the street in their pajamas. Pam picked up her phone while I continued to stare at the blank television. She tried to go on the internet, but her phone rejected her: “no connection.” She reached across me violently and grabbed my phone. Same thing.
She slammed it back down loudly on the bedside cabinet, knocking over my glass of water into the bed, and then shifted back to her side of the bed. I could feel the cold water seeping through my boxer shorts.
“Mikey,” Pam whispered intensely, scared to raise her voice in the dark night. Trembling, she grabbed my shoulder and tried to turn my body toward hers. “Answer me. What’s going on?”
Things kept spiraling faster and faster in my mind, and the worst part of it all was that I didn’t know when — or if — it would all stop. I did not know how bad this would get. I felt like I was driving a race car in a thick fog and even though my foot had pressed the pedal all the way down, the car kept going faster and faster and faster.
“Mikey,” Pam repeated, gripping my sweating face with both hands and pulling it to hers. Tears racing down her cheeks. Her lips quivering. Her hair draped across my bare, sweating shoulders. The right strap to her nightgown had fallen to the middle of her arm and her eyes, inches from mine, glowed frantically in the dim light.
“Mikey,” Pam said, again, her voice rising. Her shaking hands tightened their grip on my face. Her nose mashed against mine. I could see her eyes. I could hear her pleas. I could smell her breath. But the words were stuck behind a wall of my own fear.
“Michael Talbot Housen,” she pleaded. “Answer me.” She looked like I was breaking her great heart. And that look reached my heart and breached the wall. I could not let my wife suffer without me. We were together in everything, including this. So I told her. I told her that I — the most unimportant, the most anonymous, the most innocuous person on the planet — was responsible for this. “Pam,” I said, my voice sounding like it was underwater. “I did this. The war is my fault.”
January 10, 2025
Intriguing
A happenchance that a normal guy, living a normal life, getting tied up in a government conspiracy. Mikey plotted at every opportunity to uncover the truth and didn't run. Great book identifying fears and worst case scenarios of the government taking hold of society. Although, at times, it did feel a little predictable and left with some cliffhangers.
A happenchance that a normal guy, living a normal life, getting tied up in a government conspiracy. Mikey plotted at every opportunity to uncover the truth and didn't run. Great book identifying fears and worst case scenarios of the government taking hold of society. Although, at times, it did feel a little predictable and left with some cliffhangers.
August 21, 2025
As an Iranian, the most enjoyable part of the book was the ending, when the Iranian government... (Let me not reveal it, but I'm sure Iranians will love this part. (joking)
I won't deny that the author's perspective on the American government was strange to me. This perspective is very familiar and everyday to me inside Iran among America's enemies, but hearing this voice from inside America was new to me.
The novel's narrative was very well-designed and had a breathtaking plot, but if the author had written with more distance from his emotions and not made the heroes and the villains so absolute black and white, he would have done himself, his story, and his readers, regardless of any political beliefs, a greater favor. After all, we are reading a novel and we would enjoy it more if the heroes and antiheroes were gray.
I won't deny that the author's perspective on the American government was strange to me. This perspective is very familiar and everyday to me inside Iran among America's enemies, but hearing this voice from inside America was new to me.
The novel's narrative was very well-designed and had a breathtaking plot, but if the author had written with more distance from his emotions and not made the heroes and the villains so absolute black and white, he would have done himself, his story, and his readers, regardless of any political beliefs, a greater favor. After all, we are reading a novel and we would enjoy it more if the heroes and antiheroes were gray.
November 29, 2024
I forgot I had this hard copy! This book is well written and believable , in a frightening way.
It’s a wake up call for our entire way of life and it
makes one realize our fragility.
It’s a wake up call for our entire way of life and it
makes one realize our fragility.
July 18, 2024
A gripping, fast-paced story. What is compelling about this book is how believable it is. This could happen.
He’s just a guy who does his job and looks forward to enjoying a beer while watching a ball game with his wife. Then, suddenly, he’s in jail for apparently inciting a political maelstrom between America and Iran.
Our worst fears of 21st-century warfare are coming true: the electrical grid is compromised, bands of self-proclaimed militia are roving the countryside, and news reports might be nothing more than propaganda.
The world has gone crazy, and he’s at the center of the conflict. His mission seems impossible: clear his name and somehow leverage his position to expose the truth behind the chaos.
The authors keep you guessing throughout their well-written account. Two passages from the book really stood out for me:
1) "Has America backslid so far into dysfunction and rage that even if we out [the president] …, the people, the Congress, the courts won’t even care enough to do anything about it."
2) "Even the smartest, most rational, most competent people get overconfident about their own abilities. Half the problems in the world are because of over- confident smart people."
( I obtained an ARC copy of this novel through GoodReads.com )
He’s just a guy who does his job and looks forward to enjoying a beer while watching a ball game with his wife. Then, suddenly, he’s in jail for apparently inciting a political maelstrom between America and Iran.
Our worst fears of 21st-century warfare are coming true: the electrical grid is compromised, bands of self-proclaimed militia are roving the countryside, and news reports might be nothing more than propaganda.
The world has gone crazy, and he’s at the center of the conflict. His mission seems impossible: clear his name and somehow leverage his position to expose the truth behind the chaos.
The authors keep you guessing throughout their well-written account. Two passages from the book really stood out for me:
1) "Has America backslid so far into dysfunction and rage that even if we out [the president] …, the people, the Congress, the courts won’t even care enough to do anything about it."
2) "Even the smartest, most rational, most competent people get overconfident about their own abilities. Half the problems in the world are because of over- confident smart people."
( I obtained an ARC copy of this novel through GoodReads.com )
December 29, 2024
This was an excellent – but very frightening – thriller, especially as I read it just after Trump was re-elected.
The (anti?) hero is Michael Housen, an IT guy who works for a high-level USA security company, with government contracts. He is very happily married to Pam, an Iranian dissident, and now citizen of USA.
Both want a quiet life. But, one simple email changes all that. Michael can’t remember seeing the email, or opening it – but who can remember all the emails they open, when there are hundreds appearing in their inbox every day? Especially, when the email is said to resemble that from a firm Michael was doing company business with. He can’t check, because the email has been deleted.
Unfortunately, the email contained a virus, that has allowed an enemy foreign power access to the Pentagon and other vital national interests. The powers that be have insinuated that, with his wife, Michael has worked on behalf of the Iranian government. He knows that isn’t true, but did he open the email? Did he inadvertently start a nuclear war?
A war-mongering president and a plethora of right-wing nationalists can see only one response to such an egregious hack of US security – all out war. Never mind that the effects of the hack are as likely to be as detrimental to the States, as Sadam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
Micheal hasn’t been charged, or arrested – yet. But his wife is locked up. Working with a lawyer who specialises in helping Iranian dissidents, and getting help from quite unexpected quarters (including a far-right terrorist group), Michael tries to free his wife, clear his name and stop the war. It goes to show that you cannot necessarily prejudge people’s actions in a crisis, by what you believe their political associations to be.
As in Kafka’s ‘The Trial’, none of the accusations against Michael make sense. And as in the fabulous film ‘Dr Strangelove’, it seems that when someone wants to start a war, they need little excuse – just opportunity.
This is – at this current point in time – pure fiction. And I just hope it stays that way, though the current political situation around the world, makes it seem more realistic day by day.
Although much of the plot in the book is very satisfactorily explained and wound up, I really hope there will be a sequel. Michael is a very resourceful, effective protagonist, and the world needs more heroes like him.
Very highly recommended.
The (anti?) hero is Michael Housen, an IT guy who works for a high-level USA security company, with government contracts. He is very happily married to Pam, an Iranian dissident, and now citizen of USA.
Both want a quiet life. But, one simple email changes all that. Michael can’t remember seeing the email, or opening it – but who can remember all the emails they open, when there are hundreds appearing in their inbox every day? Especially, when the email is said to resemble that from a firm Michael was doing company business with. He can’t check, because the email has been deleted.
Unfortunately, the email contained a virus, that has allowed an enemy foreign power access to the Pentagon and other vital national interests. The powers that be have insinuated that, with his wife, Michael has worked on behalf of the Iranian government. He knows that isn’t true, but did he open the email? Did he inadvertently start a nuclear war?
A war-mongering president and a plethora of right-wing nationalists can see only one response to such an egregious hack of US security – all out war. Never mind that the effects of the hack are as likely to be as detrimental to the States, as Sadam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
Micheal hasn’t been charged, or arrested – yet. But his wife is locked up. Working with a lawyer who specialises in helping Iranian dissidents, and getting help from quite unexpected quarters (including a far-right terrorist group), Michael tries to free his wife, clear his name and stop the war. It goes to show that you cannot necessarily prejudge people’s actions in a crisis, by what you believe their political associations to be.
As in Kafka’s ‘The Trial’, none of the accusations against Michael make sense. And as in the fabulous film ‘Dr Strangelove’, it seems that when someone wants to start a war, they need little excuse – just opportunity.
This is – at this current point in time – pure fiction. And I just hope it stays that way, though the current political situation around the world, makes it seem more realistic day by day.
Although much of the plot in the book is very satisfactorily explained and wound up, I really hope there will be a sequel. Michael is a very resourceful, effective protagonist, and the world needs more heroes like him.
Very highly recommended.
November 2, 2024
Enjoyable speculative fiction. I did love the authors' optimism that Ukraine will defeat Russia, Iranians will spontaneously remove the Mullahs and the USA would rapidly remove a president exposed as a liar! Fun escapism
September 2, 2024
A smash hit! Michael works in a security company and his wife works in documentary film production as an archival historian. When Michael's CEO asks him if he clicked on a phishing link, Michael calls into question his memory. Michael and Pam's lives are thrown into an upheaval and the thrilling journey they both go through to solve this cybercrime mystery. This is a great read and perfect for a long weekend. I could not put it down. The situation is believable and very applicable for the turbulent political climate we are currently facing. The ending does leave open the possibility for more Michael and Pam adventures in the cybercrime world. I hope that the author is working on a sequel.
October 1, 2024
Michael Housen is a mid-level marketing drone in a security company in Indiana that makes cameras. He enjoys nothing more than being at home on the couch w/ his film-documentarian wife, Pam, who is of Iranian descent. He loves drinking a beer while watching an Oakland A's baseball game. They both are just doing their jobs, avoiding thinking about the right-wing government in Washington. Mike awakens in the middle of the night, w/ lights and sirens going on outside and the police driving around. Mike can't even tell Pam what he fears is happening, b/c he is sure this is ALL HIS FAULT. What a first chapter for a book!
The next morning, he is called into his boss' office and asked if he remembers clicking on an email approximately three MONTHS earlier. Who remembers what junk emails they've looked at? Mike doesn't, but is told that this was a phishing email from the Iranian government; that Iran used HIS - Mike's - click on this phishing email as a backdoor into the company's computer system. They installed malicious code into the company's system, which then was embedded in each security camera it sold, including the US Government. The US Government has now been compromised by Iran -- and it''s all Mike's fault.
The FBI is called, and Mike's life spirals out of control. He can't believe it when he is thrown into a black ops government prison and treated as poorly as one would expect. He is even more terrified for his wife, who has also been thrown into one of these prisons, simply b/c she is Iranian-American and thus, a suspect.
Who is going to save Mike and Pam? It turns out that it's gonna have to be them themselves, along w/ the help of a lawyer found by Pam's boss, Zahra, another Iranian-American. And it is knuckle-biting tense the whole way through the novel! I honestly COULD NOT STOP READING. Therefore, I had to stop reading it at bedtime, as one night, I devoured one-third of the novel before I finally turned out my light.
I am very grateful to Mr. Cooper for sending me a copy of his novel on @Goodreads. IDK why he chose me, but I am happy that he did. I am not a great reader of thriller-type novels, but I really recommend this one, as I think many of us have accidentally clicked on phishing emails. The repercussions can be 'UGE. As I told Mr. Cooper, I can't give this novel a full 5 stars, b/c I HATE HATE HATE that the ending is a big cliffhanger, instead of a resolution of the story. So... 4.7 stars rounded up.
The next morning, he is called into his boss' office and asked if he remembers clicking on an email approximately three MONTHS earlier. Who remembers what junk emails they've looked at? Mike doesn't, but is told that this was a phishing email from the Iranian government; that Iran used HIS - Mike's - click on this phishing email as a backdoor into the company's computer system. They installed malicious code into the company's system, which then was embedded in each security camera it sold, including the US Government. The US Government has now been compromised by Iran -- and it''s all Mike's fault.
The FBI is called, and Mike's life spirals out of control. He can't believe it when he is thrown into a black ops government prison and treated as poorly as one would expect. He is even more terrified for his wife, who has also been thrown into one of these prisons, simply b/c she is Iranian-American and thus, a suspect.
Who is going to save Mike and Pam? It turns out that it's gonna have to be them themselves, along w/ the help of a lawyer found by Pam's boss, Zahra, another Iranian-American. And it is knuckle-biting tense the whole way through the novel! I honestly COULD NOT STOP READING. Therefore, I had to stop reading it at bedtime, as one night, I devoured one-third of the novel before I finally turned out my light.
I am very grateful to Mr. Cooper for sending me a copy of his novel on @Goodreads. IDK why he chose me, but I am happy that he did. I am not a great reader of thriller-type novels, but I really recommend this one, as I think many of us have accidentally clicked on phishing emails. The repercussions can be 'UGE. As I told Mr. Cooper, I can't give this novel a full 5 stars, b/c I HATE HATE HATE that the ending is a big cliffhanger, instead of a resolution of the story. So... 4.7 stars rounded up.
December 15, 2024
Rounded up from 4.65
A fast, rather almost dizzying (in a good way), read. Scary in its own way of showing how both easy and complicated a whole life can be turned upside down and the struggle to try and set it right.
A fast, rather almost dizzying (in a good way), read. Scary in its own way of showing how both easy and complicated a whole life can be turned upside down and the struggle to try and set it right.
September 30, 2024
Published a mere three weeks ago, “A Quiet Life" by William Cooper and Michael McKinley is a gripping cyberthriller that expertly weaves the complexities of modern technology with the timeless human struggle for redemption. This novel serves as a stark reminder of how vulnerable we all are in the digital age, where a single click can unravel a carefully constructed life. At the heart of this riveting tale is Michael Housen, an everyman whose ordinary existence is shattered when he falls victim to a phishing scam. Cooper and McKinley's deft storytelling transforms this seemingly mundane incident into a catalyst for a pulse-pounding narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The authors' expertise shines through in their nuanced portrayal of cybersecurity threats. As a renowned cybersecurity attorney and bestselling author respectively, Cooper and McKinley bring an unparalleled level of authenticity to the technical aspects of the story. This realism serves to heighten the tension, making the dangers faced by Michael feel all too possible in our interconnected world. What truly sets "A Quiet Life" apart is its rich character development. As the story unfolds, readers will find themselves deeply invested in Michael's journey, as well as the lives of supporting characters like Pam. The authors have crafted multidimensional personalities that feel genuine and relatable, allowing us to see ourselves in their struggles and triumphs. This novel is more than just a thrilling read; it's a poignant commentary on the times we live in. Cooper and McKinley masterfully explore themes of privacy, identity, and the consequences of our digital footprints, in a twisted tale that includes Iran as an adversary, as well as a corrupt billionaire US president. The authors challenge us to consider how our online actions can have far-reaching implications in our offline lives. “A Quiet Life" is a tour de force that will appeal to fans of techno-thrillers and character-driven narratives alike. Its exploration of how quickly a quiet life can be upended in our digital age is both timely and thought-provoking. With its perfect balance of suspense, technology, and human drama, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers long after they've turned the final page.
October 12, 2024
A Quiet Life, by William Cooper and Michael McKinley; Arcade: New Yrk; $26.99 Hardback
A Quiet Life is anything but calm and reserved. A young couple, security specialist Michael and his wife Pam Housen are swooped into a horrific vortex of near future dystopian terror. Unwittingly the apparent cause of a war with Tehran, Iran, the pair must deal with being hounded by their own American government. Incarcerated without law, in grim prison chambers on no one's radar, we wonder how this all came to be. More chilling, we wonder 'Could any of this really happen?' Cooper, respected national journalist and cybersecurity lawyer, and McKinley, award winning author and film maker, combine knowledge to postulate such a near term world of political corruption without institutional controls. All the villains, the domineering president, the false accusations by enablers to bring about war and chaos, and doubtful allies are here. Strange appearances of radicalized youth, their victims, and a host of others play on this quick time story of imprisonment, escape, and possible redemption. Well paced, and makes you wonder if indeed, it could happen..
A Quiet Life is anything but calm and reserved. A young couple, security specialist Michael and his wife Pam Housen are swooped into a horrific vortex of near future dystopian terror. Unwittingly the apparent cause of a war with Tehran, Iran, the pair must deal with being hounded by their own American government. Incarcerated without law, in grim prison chambers on no one's radar, we wonder how this all came to be. More chilling, we wonder 'Could any of this really happen?' Cooper, respected national journalist and cybersecurity lawyer, and McKinley, award winning author and film maker, combine knowledge to postulate such a near term world of political corruption without institutional controls. All the villains, the domineering president, the false accusations by enablers to bring about war and chaos, and doubtful allies are here. Strange appearances of radicalized youth, their victims, and a host of others play on this quick time story of imprisonment, escape, and possible redemption. Well paced, and makes you wonder if indeed, it could happen..
November 4, 2024
Thank you to the authors for this Goodreads Giveaway win! This is a quick read at 250 pages. The chapters are short, but packed with action and information as MC Michael attempts to save himself, his wife, friends, and the whole country really, after he’s told he the reason for an unexpected war against Iran after clicking on a link 5 months earlier. Everyone’s life is endangered, especially those of Iranian descent, like his wife. It’s set in the near future with a president that goes rouge with a trigger happy following. Everything is told from Michael’s POV. The writing was repetitive at times, but I notice that’s the case when the reader is inside the mind of one character. It builds the anxiety and spiraling thoughts. This was 3.5⭐️ for me, rounded up.
September 27, 2024
Although I found some editing errors (which is usually a quick DNF for me), I was so hooked to the story line, I just HAD to keep going. I’ve never read a political thriller before, but I thoroughly enjoyed how fast paced and engaging this was!
October 24, 2024
A Quiet Life begins with Michael Housen, an employee of Armor Security, showing up to work to learn that he’s being accused of clicking a link in a phishing email which ultimately opens the door for the President of the United States to attack Iran in retribution for the hack. The plot which follows moves quickly along and I never once found myself bored, wishing it would speed up. The main character was likable and someone for whom I could root. The chapters reminded me of those of John Grisham, short, easy to read and hard to put down.
For a while I wondered how, given today’s business climate, all the bad things which follow could happen, especially in a government contractor. A number of the larger companies near me hire third parties to send fake emails to employees to test and train those who inadvertently might click on them. I also thought it crazy that Michael’s action could so quickly land him not just in trouble at work, but also in jail. I’m happy to say that, as the story developed, my concerns were alleviated. Ironically, by the end of the story, the one thing I found to be the most unrealistic involved the repercussions of transactions filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. I won’t comment on that further in order to avoid spoilers.
The author makes an interesting choice to make the villain of the story, the U.S. President, a carbon copy of Donald Trump, even down to his personality flaws and frequent tweeting of “Truths”. This did not prohibit me from enjoying the book, but that, along with the use of pronouns in chapters involving an amiable, helpful transgender coworker, together seem likely to alienate a sizable portion of readers who might otherwise enjoy the book. While I greatly enjoyed and do recommend A Quiet Life, I tend to think the political tone would render it not for everybody.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the copy. The above opinions are my own.
For a while I wondered how, given today’s business climate, all the bad things which follow could happen, especially in a government contractor. A number of the larger companies near me hire third parties to send fake emails to employees to test and train those who inadvertently might click on them. I also thought it crazy that Michael’s action could so quickly land him not just in trouble at work, but also in jail. I’m happy to say that, as the story developed, my concerns were alleviated. Ironically, by the end of the story, the one thing I found to be the most unrealistic involved the repercussions of transactions filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. I won’t comment on that further in order to avoid spoilers.
The author makes an interesting choice to make the villain of the story, the U.S. President, a carbon copy of Donald Trump, even down to his personality flaws and frequent tweeting of “Truths”. This did not prohibit me from enjoying the book, but that, along with the use of pronouns in chapters involving an amiable, helpful transgender coworker, together seem likely to alienate a sizable portion of readers who might otherwise enjoy the book. While I greatly enjoyed and do recommend A Quiet Life, I tend to think the political tone would render it not for everybody.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the copy. The above opinions are my own.
August 22, 2025
Is This An Overview?
A war between America and Iran has begun. Cities are set ablaze. The trigger for the war was an Iranian cyberattack. What enabled the cyberattack, was a phishing email, by someone who worked at a security company that sold equipment used by the American government. That someone was Michael. What the government believes, is that Michael clicked on the link on purpose to assist Michael’s spouse, Pam, who is of Iranian descent. Even though Pam is American, and Pam’s parents fled Iran.
It is not just Michael and Pam who face prejudice, as all those with Iranian ties become considered hostile. With a bounty on anyone who looks to be Iranian. The war justified the suspension of various laws, which lead to Michael and Pam to be separated and taken by the government for questioning. How can Michael and Pam overcome the persecution? How far would the government and people be willing to persecute others?
Caveats?
This book is based on politics and sociology. There is a political bias. The political biases are references to behavior of politicians when the book was written, projected forward a few years with different names attached to the people.
A war between America and Iran has begun. Cities are set ablaze. The trigger for the war was an Iranian cyberattack. What enabled the cyberattack, was a phishing email, by someone who worked at a security company that sold equipment used by the American government. That someone was Michael. What the government believes, is that Michael clicked on the link on purpose to assist Michael’s spouse, Pam, who is of Iranian descent. Even though Pam is American, and Pam’s parents fled Iran.
It is not just Michael and Pam who face prejudice, as all those with Iranian ties become considered hostile. With a bounty on anyone who looks to be Iranian. The war justified the suspension of various laws, which lead to Michael and Pam to be separated and taken by the government for questioning. How can Michael and Pam overcome the persecution? How far would the government and people be willing to persecute others?
Caveats?
This book is based on politics and sociology. There is a political bias. The political biases are references to behavior of politicians when the book was written, projected forward a few years with different names attached to the people.
August 3, 2025
First let me state that I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. With that said I would give it a 2 1/2 out of 5. The story was good - a 3 1/2 , 3 3/4 but I read fiction novels as a way to escape from whatever is going on in the world, whether my personal life or the world itself. The presidential character is Trump on Steroids right down to his catch phrase "Keep America Great!" and his social media platform "Truth". Then there is a transgender character , which I'm fine with yet the authors insist on refereing to this character as "they" and "them" throughout the story. The use of the plural pronouns mid story caused me to stop and make sure I was following the thread properly. An unnecessary bow to certain members of society which did nothing to advance the story, just make reading it more difficult.
November 1, 2024
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
This is a book that should be a parody or a spoof, but isn't.
A "security expert" gets caught in a phishing scheme. One thing leads to another, and there's war with Iraq. He's a fugitive with his Iraqi wife, running from the FBI, and other alphabet soup agencies.
There's an insane president, and other stock figures.
Really needs a sense of humor.
This is a book that should be a parody or a spoof, but isn't.
A "security expert" gets caught in a phishing scheme. One thing leads to another, and there's war with Iraq. He's a fugitive with his Iraqi wife, running from the FBI, and other alphabet soup agencies.
There's an insane president, and other stock figures.
Really needs a sense of humor.
November 1, 2024
A political thriller that given the current environment feels a little bit scary, an interesting premise where Michael, a regular working stiff (who loves IPA's) appears to start a war with Iran by clicking on an e-mail link, since his wife Pam is of Iranian ancestry that sets the government agencies wondering if there isn't more to it that meets the eye.
Enter the batsh*t President who wants to destroy Iran, hates immigrants and you get the picture. I thought the book was fairly entertaining but I did not love any of the characters, Michael was too bland and his just so perfect wife unrealistic.
Enter the batsh*t President who wants to destroy Iran, hates immigrants and you get the picture. I thought the book was fairly entertaining but I did not love any of the characters, Michael was too bland and his just so perfect wife unrealistic.
October 23, 2024
at the outset I should say that I was given a free copy of this novel as a pdf file.
I have mixed feelings about this book, the basic premise of a US President going rogue has been used before and I am sure will be used again and in some cases has been used in a better way that in this volume. That being said this is an enjoyable read with a number of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. Although the President in this case is described as being in his late 40's he is clearly based on Donald Trump even down to his "truth" social media mimicking Trump's Truth Social. In light of the authors expertise I think a lot of the technology described either exists or is possible though some things stretch credulity and seem only to be a means for moving the story along. The ending leaves a lot of things in the air and I think is intended to point towards a sequel. I have to admit that this last is a device I hate- if the story is strong enough take it to its logical conclusion.
I have mixed feelings about this book, the basic premise of a US President going rogue has been used before and I am sure will be used again and in some cases has been used in a better way that in this volume. That being said this is an enjoyable read with a number of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. Although the President in this case is described as being in his late 40's he is clearly based on Donald Trump even down to his "truth" social media mimicking Trump's Truth Social. In light of the authors expertise I think a lot of the technology described either exists or is possible though some things stretch credulity and seem only to be a means for moving the story along. The ending leaves a lot of things in the air and I think is intended to point towards a sequel. I have to admit that this last is a device I hate- if the story is strong enough take it to its logical conclusion.
December 5, 2024
I don’t think I could read about Michael wanting to sit down with an IPA and watch an A’s game for another second. Political commentary was good but overall the book fell flat for me.
September 20, 2025
I received a copy of this book from the author through Goodreads. I am not a frequent reader of political suspense thrillers, but I thoroughly this one it was very readable and well written. The storyline was very believable especially with the current political environment. The only reason I gave 4 stars is I felt the ending was a little rushed and became confusing. I look forward to the sequel as there is no doubt with such a cliffhanger ending there better be one!
October 30, 2024
A click away from chaos: when everything goes wrong for a cybersecurity worker
"A Quiet Life" by William Cooper and Michael McKinley is a gripping cyberthriller that delves into the chilling potential of digital warfare. As Michael Housen, an ordinary man, unwittingly triggers a cyberattack that spirals into an all-out war between the United States and Iran, the novel raises unsettling questions about our modern reality.
Housen’s seemingly innocuous click on a phishing email ignites a chaotic chain reaction, thrusting him and his wife, Pam, into a treacherous world of political intrigue and personal peril. Accused of treason and imprisoned by a tyrannical president, they must navigate a complex web of alliances to clear their names and avert further bloodshed.
The book evokes the foresight of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who warned, "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster." This sentiment resonates deeply in "A Quiet Life," where the erosion of civil liberties in a surveillance-heavy society mirrors our current fears of technology's grip on power.
I asked co-author William Cooper a crucial question: Does the book foreshadow what a Donald Trump presidency might look like? His response shed light on the inspiration behind President Davis, the fictional president in "A Quiet Life": "He was a combination of Donald Trump and Elon Musk plus some fiction. The motivation was to tell a fun story with some lessons in there too." This blend of real-life figures into a cautionary tale enriches the narrative, making it both relevant and thought-provoking without necessarily casting any specific individuals as evils.
While the pacing may falter at times, the suspenseful plot and well-crafted characters ensure readers remain engaged. "A Quiet Life" is a must-read for fans of techno-thrillers and anyone concerned about the increasing influence of technology on our lives, serving as both a thrilling narrative and a poignant warning for the future.
"A Quiet Life" by William Cooper and Michael McKinley is a gripping cyberthriller that delves into the chilling potential of digital warfare. As Michael Housen, an ordinary man, unwittingly triggers a cyberattack that spirals into an all-out war between the United States and Iran, the novel raises unsettling questions about our modern reality.
Housen’s seemingly innocuous click on a phishing email ignites a chaotic chain reaction, thrusting him and his wife, Pam, into a treacherous world of political intrigue and personal peril. Accused of treason and imprisoned by a tyrannical president, they must navigate a complex web of alliances to clear their names and avert further bloodshed.
The book evokes the foresight of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who warned, "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster." This sentiment resonates deeply in "A Quiet Life," where the erosion of civil liberties in a surveillance-heavy society mirrors our current fears of technology's grip on power.
I asked co-author William Cooper a crucial question: Does the book foreshadow what a Donald Trump presidency might look like? His response shed light on the inspiration behind President Davis, the fictional president in "A Quiet Life": "He was a combination of Donald Trump and Elon Musk plus some fiction. The motivation was to tell a fun story with some lessons in there too." This blend of real-life figures into a cautionary tale enriches the narrative, making it both relevant and thought-provoking without necessarily casting any specific individuals as evils.
While the pacing may falter at times, the suspenseful plot and well-crafted characters ensure readers remain engaged. "A Quiet Life" is a must-read for fans of techno-thrillers and anyone concerned about the increasing influence of technology on our lives, serving as both a thrilling narrative and a poignant warning for the future.
August 12, 2024
A quiet life but not a quiet world
All that Michael Housen wants is a quiet life with his wife Pam and their dog Cecil, but when he apparently opens a phishing email at his place of work, Armor Security, which sells security cameras used by the federal government, it triggers a devastating cyberattack that provokes the US President to start a war with Iran. The authorities come down especially hard on Housen because his wife’s parents were born in Iran, and he and his wife are thrown into prison. As he grieves over the violence happening in both countries as well as the treatment he and Pam receive, Michael muses about the email he received that seemed to have touched off the war. He cannot remember it and cannot find it on his work computer.
The experiences of Michael and his wife as they suffer the consequences of Michael’s apparent lapse of good computer security practices are described in a way that make the reader sympathize and identify with their bewilderment and distress. They are ordinary people!
On the broader front, the federal administration shown is credible but a bit scary. Federal employees are required to wear American flag pins, and many of them include the number 48, which is the presidency of the current president. As a former federal employee, I find this distasteful but unfortunately not totally unbelievable. The President is belligerent but again not unbelievable.
My kindle has a note at the end of the first chapter, “Great start”, and my enjoyment did not ebb as I read about the events that followed the cyberattack. The consequences for people in both the US and Iran were disturbing, including rogue actions against innocent immigrants in the US and official rounding up of Iranians in the US by the federal government, which I at first found incredible until I remembered that we had done the same thing to Japanese residents during WW II.
The treatment received by Michael and his wife, though, was especially sad. As the book progressed, I realized I had become very invested in the characters, especially Michael and Pam, but even the supporting roles were nicely done. They were believable, and I cared about what was happening to them and the quandaries they faced. They also are cleverly envisioned, e.g., Pam’s career in documentary films is significant.
The combination of fascinating plot and believable characters made this a delightful read, and I was considering it as a candidate for my “Best Books of the Year” list… until the very end, when it was clear from one remaining threat that the problem facing Michael and his friends and the country had not been fully resolved.
If you like a fast-paced thriller that doesn’t stint on character development, I highly recommend A Quiet Life. If you are the sort, however, who wants ALL the loose ends wrapped up, you might want to wait until the sequel comes out. Please hurry, William and Michael .
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and the authors.
PS Originally I downgraded this book to 4 stars because the cliffhanger ending annoyed me so much, but in the next few days I found myself talking about and recommending the book to so many people I realized it probably deserved that fifth star!
All that Michael Housen wants is a quiet life with his wife Pam and their dog Cecil, but when he apparently opens a phishing email at his place of work, Armor Security, which sells security cameras used by the federal government, it triggers a devastating cyberattack that provokes the US President to start a war with Iran. The authorities come down especially hard on Housen because his wife’s parents were born in Iran, and he and his wife are thrown into prison. As he grieves over the violence happening in both countries as well as the treatment he and Pam receive, Michael muses about the email he received that seemed to have touched off the war. He cannot remember it and cannot find it on his work computer.
The experiences of Michael and his wife as they suffer the consequences of Michael’s apparent lapse of good computer security practices are described in a way that make the reader sympathize and identify with their bewilderment and distress. They are ordinary people!
On the broader front, the federal administration shown is credible but a bit scary. Federal employees are required to wear American flag pins, and many of them include the number 48, which is the presidency of the current president. As a former federal employee, I find this distasteful but unfortunately not totally unbelievable. The President is belligerent but again not unbelievable.
My kindle has a note at the end of the first chapter, “Great start”, and my enjoyment did not ebb as I read about the events that followed the cyberattack. The consequences for people in both the US and Iran were disturbing, including rogue actions against innocent immigrants in the US and official rounding up of Iranians in the US by the federal government, which I at first found incredible until I remembered that we had done the same thing to Japanese residents during WW II.
The treatment received by Michael and his wife, though, was especially sad. As the book progressed, I realized I had become very invested in the characters, especially Michael and Pam, but even the supporting roles were nicely done. They were believable, and I cared about what was happening to them and the quandaries they faced. They also are cleverly envisioned, e.g., Pam’s career in documentary films is significant.
The combination of fascinating plot and believable characters made this a delightful read, and I was considering it as a candidate for my “Best Books of the Year” list… until the very end, when it was clear from one remaining threat that the problem facing Michael and his friends and the country had not been fully resolved.
If you like a fast-paced thriller that doesn’t stint on character development, I highly recommend A Quiet Life. If you are the sort, however, who wants ALL the loose ends wrapped up, you might want to wait until the sequel comes out. Please hurry, William and Michael .
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and the authors.
PS Originally I downgraded this book to 4 stars because the cliffhanger ending annoyed me so much, but in the next few days I found myself talking about and recommending the book to so many people I realized it probably deserved that fifth star!
September 20, 2024
I don't understand all the positive reviews for this. Yes, I get it. Trump bad. But in this book the characters are flat, the plot is slow, the characters' choices are sometimes nonsensical, and the world building is straight out of the Facebook posts my friends have been making since 2016. There is nothing mind-blowing here. I read fiction to escape from reality or to get interesting new perspectives. I'm fine with political messages in books if it is done well. This is not.
The characters. I get that Michael (the main character) is supposed to be an every man. He is the stereotypical white middle aged suburban man who didn't live up to his high school dreams, watches baseball, and loves IPAs. The authors worked so hard to make him bland I just couldn't bring myself to like him. Pam is perfect. Everything about her is absolutely perfect. I can't dislike her, but she wasn't interesting. The rest of the characters were also just meh.
Oh and Michael has white savior syndrome big time. He sees a little black haired girl who is scared of him, but speaks Spanish to her and saves her family. All the Latinos in this are helpless victims who need the big strong white guy to save them.
The title of the book is "A Quiet Life". I see that. I can read. The amount of times Michael says "I just wanted a quiet life" or laments his nice quiet life that got destroyed is far too on the nose for me.
This book also reads like an example from a terrible cybersecurity training presentation. Michael repeats ad nauseum some variation of "If only I hadn't clicked the link in that phishing email".
A minor nit is that in a book such as this, details matter. Right at the beginning, the authors give specific times on a specific date and talk about the sunset and then it being fully dark...at 7 PM on the summer solstice in Bloomington, IN. That is a full 2 hours before actual sunset. Were they too lazy for a simple Google search?
The only positive in this book is that it does emphasize that people immigrated to the US for a reason, and points out the reason why people would immigrate here from enemy nations. This includes the Iranians who are featured in this book, and more recently includes the Russians. The book emphasizes the point that while these people are from enemy nations, and while there may be a few spies among them, the vast majority are here now because they were fleeing the same regime that is our enemy. Many Iranians hate the Ayatollah, and many Russians hate Putin and they are here because of that. To escape them.
One final note: I thought this was a stand-alone book but apparently there will be at least one sequel. It does end on a cliffhanger.
The characters. I get that Michael (the main character) is supposed to be an every man. He is the stereotypical white middle aged suburban man who didn't live up to his high school dreams, watches baseball, and loves IPAs. The authors worked so hard to make him bland I just couldn't bring myself to like him. Pam is perfect. Everything about her is absolutely perfect. I can't dislike her, but she wasn't interesting. The rest of the characters were also just meh.
Oh and Michael has white savior syndrome big time. He sees a little black haired girl who is scared of him, but speaks Spanish to her and saves her family. All the Latinos in this are helpless victims who need the big strong white guy to save them.
The title of the book is "A Quiet Life". I see that. I can read. The amount of times Michael says "I just wanted a quiet life" or laments his nice quiet life that got destroyed is far too on the nose for me.
This book also reads like an example from a terrible cybersecurity training presentation. Michael repeats ad nauseum some variation of "If only I hadn't clicked the link in that phishing email".
A minor nit is that in a book such as this, details matter. Right at the beginning, the authors give specific times on a specific date and talk about the sunset and then it being fully dark...at 7 PM on the summer solstice in Bloomington, IN. That is a full 2 hours before actual sunset. Were they too lazy for a simple Google search?
The only positive in this book is that it does emphasize that people immigrated to the US for a reason, and points out the reason why people would immigrate here from enemy nations. This includes the Iranians who are featured in this book, and more recently includes the Russians. The book emphasizes the point that while these people are from enemy nations, and while there may be a few spies among them, the vast majority are here now because they were fleeing the same regime that is our enemy. Many Iranians hate the Ayatollah, and many Russians hate Putin and they are here because of that. To escape them.
One final note: I thought this was a stand-alone book but apparently there will be at least one sequel. It does end on a cliffhanger.
January 1, 2025
I started this book during the 2024 election season when being bombarded with all of the political fodder this election had to offer. After the election, I became disillusioned with our current system. How could we elect someone with so many obvious weaknesses?
There are SO many parallels in this book to the current politics in the USA. What led me to finish this book in my down time, was the rise of Elon Musk, a billionaire owner of X, as he influenced Republicans to vote against the budget debt ceiling. It is naive to think that the very rich don’t have influence. The Koch brothers have shown otherwise. But, just one day of “tweets” and Musk gained control of the vote for the entire debt ceiling. He was not elected to any position yet wielded so much power from words expressed over the internet. In this book, the rich have influenced government so that their “opinions” are without question. The presidency is owned by a billionaire, President Davis. Their money provides a barrier of protection from scrutiny. People with opposing views were jailed with “retaliatory action.” Sounds familiar?
I could not help but think, “Is this really a work of fiction or a prediction of the presidency to come?” Will they be able to save their nation? Probably…this book hints at hope. Then my thoughts scream, “Will WE after this term?”
It is obvious that William Cooper is knowledgeable about the insider information of the inter-workings of our government. It is my hope America can rise above negative influences of the wealthy and well-connected by the good moral leadership of those who remain in power.
Though I am glad to have read this book, Project 2025, Elon Musk, Steven Miller &Co….and the like, make me sick thinking that really tough days for America lay ahead. This book fed my sense of impending doom for the immediate American future. In reality, I need to cling to the hope.
Congratulations on your first fiction novel! Thank you for the advanced copy. I think the term ahead may help you write the next novel. Best wishes.
There are SO many parallels in this book to the current politics in the USA. What led me to finish this book in my down time, was the rise of Elon Musk, a billionaire owner of X, as he influenced Republicans to vote against the budget debt ceiling. It is naive to think that the very rich don’t have influence. The Koch brothers have shown otherwise. But, just one day of “tweets” and Musk gained control of the vote for the entire debt ceiling. He was not elected to any position yet wielded so much power from words expressed over the internet. In this book, the rich have influenced government so that their “opinions” are without question. The presidency is owned by a billionaire, President Davis. Their money provides a barrier of protection from scrutiny. People with opposing views were jailed with “retaliatory action.” Sounds familiar?
I could not help but think, “Is this really a work of fiction or a prediction of the presidency to come?” Will they be able to save their nation? Probably…this book hints at hope. Then my thoughts scream, “Will WE after this term?”
It is obvious that William Cooper is knowledgeable about the insider information of the inter-workings of our government. It is my hope America can rise above negative influences of the wealthy and well-connected by the good moral leadership of those who remain in power.
Though I am glad to have read this book, Project 2025, Elon Musk, Steven Miller &Co….and the like, make me sick thinking that really tough days for America lay ahead. This book fed my sense of impending doom for the immediate American future. In reality, I need to cling to the hope.
Congratulations on your first fiction novel! Thank you for the advanced copy. I think the term ahead may help you write the next novel. Best wishes.
February 9, 2025
“A Quiet Life” is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that masterfully blends the personal with the political, exposing how fragile our sense of security truly is. The story follows Michael Housen, an ordinary white-collar worker at a security company, whose mundane life is shattered by a single careless click on a phishing email. What seems like a minor mistake spirals into a catastrophic event, triggering a cyberattack by Iranian hackers. This attack becomes the perfect pretext for a belligerent U.S. president to declare martial law and launch a war against Iran.
Suddenly, Michael and his wife, Pam, find themselves labeled as enemies of the state. Their once-quiet, predictable life turns into a desperate fight for survival as they’re thrown into private prisons controlled by a corrupt, power-hungry leader. The novel explores their harrowing journey from terrified, unsuspecting citizens to unlikely rebels battling against a system designed to crush them.
Cooper and McKinley expertly build tension throughout the narrative, drawing readers into a world where the line between truth and propaganda blurs, and ordinary people become pawns in a global power struggle. Rather than relying on over-the-top action, the novel thrives on psychological intensity and emotional depth. It raises haunting questions: What would you do if the system you trusted turned against you? How do you fight back when the enemy is your own government?
The authors’ backgrounds—a renowned cybersecurity attorney and a bestselling writer—add authenticity to the story, particularly in its chillingly realistic depiction of cyberwarfare and government manipulation. The pacing is sharp, the stakes are high, and the supporting cast—from right-wing militias to Iranian documentarians—adds unexpected depth and complexity to the narrative.
It’s not just a thriller; it’s a cautionary tale for our digital age—a story about the devastating consequences of seemingly small actions, the fragility of freedom, and the unyielding human spirit when faced with overwhelming odds.
Suddenly, Michael and his wife, Pam, find themselves labeled as enemies of the state. Their once-quiet, predictable life turns into a desperate fight for survival as they’re thrown into private prisons controlled by a corrupt, power-hungry leader. The novel explores their harrowing journey from terrified, unsuspecting citizens to unlikely rebels battling against a system designed to crush them.
Cooper and McKinley expertly build tension throughout the narrative, drawing readers into a world where the line between truth and propaganda blurs, and ordinary people become pawns in a global power struggle. Rather than relying on over-the-top action, the novel thrives on psychological intensity and emotional depth. It raises haunting questions: What would you do if the system you trusted turned against you? How do you fight back when the enemy is your own government?
The authors’ backgrounds—a renowned cybersecurity attorney and a bestselling writer—add authenticity to the story, particularly in its chillingly realistic depiction of cyberwarfare and government manipulation. The pacing is sharp, the stakes are high, and the supporting cast—from right-wing militias to Iranian documentarians—adds unexpected depth and complexity to the narrative.
It’s not just a thriller; it’s a cautionary tale for our digital age—a story about the devastating consequences of seemingly small actions, the fragility of freedom, and the unyielding human spirit when faced with overwhelming odds.
December 10, 2024
Michael Housen and Pam, a beautiful woman born in Los Angeles to Iranian parents, are living a quiet life, full of love and mutual admiration, a calm that turns into turmoil on the first page of the novel. The entire story unfolds over a period of two months, June 20 to August 21, during the tenure of the Trump-like 48th US President.
The narrative begins on the wee hours of one morning, when sleepless Michael is fighting the urge to take some of his wife’s sleeping pills, eventually resisting the temptation, because the prospects of being sedated the next day, perhaps the most important day of his life, didn’t appeal to him. He had just learned that his company’s computer system had been hacked, with national security consequences, and he was being investigated as a suspect, given that the unauthorized access had been gained through his computer, after he was fooled by a malicious e-mail. From there, the Iranian cyber-army had hacked a large collection of connected sites, including that of the US Treasury Department, a customer of his company’s security services.
Following cyber-attacks on the US electricity grid, Iran had conducted a major terror-bombing campaign in multiple American cities, as an aerial raid was being waged on Tehran and other Iranian cities by the US and Israel. The unwitting click that started the entire process and gave a belligerent President Davis a pretext for war against Iran turned Michael and Pam into enemies of the state and landed them in private prisons owned by the multibillionaire president. The couple eventually found a set of extraordinary partners that helped them clear their names and stop the global conflict.
The novel is a page-turner. Readers with knowledge of computer systems, cybersecurity in particular, will find it particularly appealing, although it can also form compelling reading for novices being instructed about cybersecurity.
The narrative begins on the wee hours of one morning, when sleepless Michael is fighting the urge to take some of his wife’s sleeping pills, eventually resisting the temptation, because the prospects of being sedated the next day, perhaps the most important day of his life, didn’t appeal to him. He had just learned that his company’s computer system had been hacked, with national security consequences, and he was being investigated as a suspect, given that the unauthorized access had been gained through his computer, after he was fooled by a malicious e-mail. From there, the Iranian cyber-army had hacked a large collection of connected sites, including that of the US Treasury Department, a customer of his company’s security services.
Following cyber-attacks on the US electricity grid, Iran had conducted a major terror-bombing campaign in multiple American cities, as an aerial raid was being waged on Tehran and other Iranian cities by the US and Israel. The unwitting click that started the entire process and gave a belligerent President Davis a pretext for war against Iran turned Michael and Pam into enemies of the state and landed them in private prisons owned by the multibillionaire president. The couple eventually found a set of extraordinary partners that helped them clear their names and stop the global conflict.
The novel is a page-turner. Readers with knowledge of computer systems, cybersecurity in particular, will find it particularly appealing, although it can also form compelling reading for novices being instructed about cybersecurity.
November 19, 2024
Imagine … set in the near future … in the USA …
Just one click on an email link, and the USA is under martial law and bombing Tehran. Surely, only in fiction? Michael Housen works at an American security company. After he apparently clicks on a link in an email, a cyberattack is launched by Iranian hackers. Just the excuse the United States President needs to start a war with Iran. President Davis, a billionaire with fingers in many pies, also owns several private prisons. And it is in these prisons that Michael and his wife Pam (of Iranian heritage), both considered to be enemies of the state, are thrown.
Are they guilty?
This novel explores the unsettling ease with which ‘evidence’ can be planted and manipulated to pursue a dangerous agenda (and to nominate scapegoats). In a world where fake news and facts can be difficult to differentiate (let alone analyse quickly) rumour spreads quickly. And, if Michael and
Pam were set up, exactly how are they going to prove their innocence and reclaim their lives?
Messrs Cooper and McKinley certainly captured my attention in this novel. The energy grid is compromised, self-proclaimed militia enforce their version of the law, and the news reports cannot be relied on. Shades and reminders of Guantanamo Bay. And the story ends in a way that has me thinking there is (or will be) another instalment.
Yes, the novel was published before the recent US Presidential election. And some of us are nervously considering whether the fine line between fact and fiction will be redrawn.
Note: My thanks to Mr Cooper for providing me with an electronic copy of this novel for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Just one click on an email link, and the USA is under martial law and bombing Tehran. Surely, only in fiction? Michael Housen works at an American security company. After he apparently clicks on a link in an email, a cyberattack is launched by Iranian hackers. Just the excuse the United States President needs to start a war with Iran. President Davis, a billionaire with fingers in many pies, also owns several private prisons. And it is in these prisons that Michael and his wife Pam (of Iranian heritage), both considered to be enemies of the state, are thrown.
Are they guilty?
This novel explores the unsettling ease with which ‘evidence’ can be planted and manipulated to pursue a dangerous agenda (and to nominate scapegoats). In a world where fake news and facts can be difficult to differentiate (let alone analyse quickly) rumour spreads quickly. And, if Michael and
Pam were set up, exactly how are they going to prove their innocence and reclaim their lives?
Messrs Cooper and McKinley certainly captured my attention in this novel. The energy grid is compromised, self-proclaimed militia enforce their version of the law, and the news reports cannot be relied on. Shades and reminders of Guantanamo Bay. And the story ends in a way that has me thinking there is (or will be) another instalment.
Yes, the novel was published before the recent US Presidential election. And some of us are nervously considering whether the fine line between fact and fiction will be redrawn.
Note: My thanks to Mr Cooper for providing me with an electronic copy of this novel for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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