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The Candidate
"If all thrillers were written as smoothly, as unpredictably, tense, and thrilling as THE CANDIDATE, I'd be reading all day and night and would probably be out of a job." -- Strand magazineJack Hodges, a little-known US presidential candidate, knows his campaign is on its last legs. As he speaks at a rally in Iowa, a shot rings out. He survives the attempt on his life, and the incident finally propels Hodges to the front pages. Police arrest the would-be assassin, but she refuses to say a single word about who she is, or why she wanted Hodges dead. Entered outspoken campaign manager, Dee Babineaux, who seizes the momentum to get Hodges elected, and soon electrifies a nation with her candidate's qualities. But she knows it's vital to keep the mystery of the assassination attempt quiet, and that task falls to Make Sweeney, the true believe in Hodges' cause. Trying to outsmart journalists who are on the trail of for the truth, Sweeney's journey uncovers more and more disturbing information. Can he keep a devastating secret from being exposed, and if he does, will it mean the wrong man gets elected to the nation's highest office?THE CANDIDATE. Nothing stays buried. Not even the dead."An addictive page-turner. This one is a winner." -- Craig Hickman, international bestselling author of THE INSIDERS
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2012
14 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Paul Harris
2 books2 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Paul Harris is currently the US Correspondent of the British weekly newspaper The Observer, the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper. He has held the post since 2003. Prior to that he reported from Africa for the Daily Telegraph, the Associated Press and Reuters. He has covered conflicts and trouble spots all around the world, including Iraq, Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. In 2003 he was embedded with British forces during the invasion of Iraq.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Paul Harris is currently the US Correspondent of the British weekly newspaper The Observer, the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper. He has held the post since 2003. Prior to that he reported from Africa for the Daily Telegraph, the Associated Press and Reuters. He has covered conflicts and trouble spots all around the world, including Iraq, Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. In 2003 he was embedded with British forces during the invasion of Iraq.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 8, 2018
“The Candidate” by Paul Harris, published by Vantage Point Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
“The Candidate” is a story about an American election campaign that will knock your socks off.
Mike Sweeny has become enthralled by Presidential Candidate Jack Hodges; in fact he is so enthralled that he has joined his campaign staff. Jack Hodges seems to be the perfect candidate to save America. He is presently a Senator, but is a retired Army officer that seems to have an unblemished record.
Although he is far behind in the polls, his fortune changes when he escapes an assassination attempt. He immediately becomes front page material, especially when a photograph of him protecting his wife is printed.
The would be assassin, a woman, is captured but refuses to say anything about the attempt on Hodges’s life. Dee Babineaux, who leads Hodges’s campaign, assigns Mike Sweeny to find out more about the assassin and the assassination attempt.
Mike finds a link between the assassin, Hodges, and Guatemala. As he begins to uncover the truth, Mike is faced with the hard realities of political life and campaigning. He must also search his soul to find out what course of action he should take and what will be the consequences of his actions.
A top notch story that will keep the reader engrossed from the very beginning to the very end.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
“The Candidate” is a story about an American election campaign that will knock your socks off.
Mike Sweeny has become enthralled by Presidential Candidate Jack Hodges; in fact he is so enthralled that he has joined his campaign staff. Jack Hodges seems to be the perfect candidate to save America. He is presently a Senator, but is a retired Army officer that seems to have an unblemished record.
Although he is far behind in the polls, his fortune changes when he escapes an assassination attempt. He immediately becomes front page material, especially when a photograph of him protecting his wife is printed.
The would be assassin, a woman, is captured but refuses to say anything about the attempt on Hodges’s life. Dee Babineaux, who leads Hodges’s campaign, assigns Mike Sweeny to find out more about the assassin and the assassination attempt.
Mike finds a link between the assassin, Hodges, and Guatemala. As he begins to uncover the truth, Mike is faced with the hard realities of political life and campaigning. He must also search his soul to find out what course of action he should take and what will be the consequences of his actions.
A top notch story that will keep the reader engrossed from the very beginning to the very end.
September 12, 2017
Great premise, solid execution
Every candidate has a skeleton in the closet, any promising bid for election often depends on finding at least 3 in that of your opponent's. I enjoyed the journey of idealistic campaign staffer, Mike Sweeney learning the seedy underbelly of what Presidential campaigns often resort to.
Every candidate has a skeleton in the closet, any promising bid for election often depends on finding at least 3 in that of your opponent's. I enjoyed the journey of idealistic campaign staffer, Mike Sweeney learning the seedy underbelly of what Presidential campaigns often resort to.
December 31, 2015
The Candidate by Paul Harris is a fast-paced, gripping story that makes one wonder about the state of American politics. Let’s face it, we Americans know it’s messed up. There’s no denying that. And this book, wow. I know it’s fiction, and I sure hope it’s super, super dramatized – that the political landscape isn’t quite so horrible. I’m guessing, though, it’s closer to reality than I’d like.
Election and politics aside, the story moves fast, starting with a bang and moving on out until the exciting finish. This is one book that I found very, very hard to put down. I wanted to see the dirt that Mike’s digging up. I wanted to see just what exactly was the explanation behind the assassination attempt – and the wire transfers mentioned early in the story. Some ideas for what it was were floating in my head, and as things progressed I found my hunches were pretty close – if not completely right. Still, there are some surprising revelations, and the full details are something – and not a good something.
The biggest problem I had was, once again, editing. It left much to be desired. Lots of grammar needs fixing, and when talking about an energy burst, it’s adrenaline (not Adrenalin, which is trademarked and has something to do with synthetic epinephrine; in this book, we’re talking about adrenaline rushes). While some of the things are likely things many readers will easily overlook, or maybe even not notice, it’s hard for me to comprehend how the editing process missed so many things. The biggest one is the aforementioned Adrenalin/adrenaline issue, but there are times when sentences don’t read very smoothly and other such things. Still, the story is good enough that I feel confident that fans of suspense will greatly enjoy it. If it wasn’t for the editing problems, I would have given it 5 stars.
Election and politics aside, the story moves fast, starting with a bang and moving on out until the exciting finish. This is one book that I found very, very hard to put down. I wanted to see the dirt that Mike’s digging up. I wanted to see just what exactly was the explanation behind the assassination attempt – and the wire transfers mentioned early in the story. Some ideas for what it was were floating in my head, and as things progressed I found my hunches were pretty close – if not completely right. Still, there are some surprising revelations, and the full details are something – and not a good something.
The biggest problem I had was, once again, editing. It left much to be desired. Lots of grammar needs fixing, and when talking about an energy burst, it’s adrenaline (not Adrenalin, which is trademarked and has something to do with synthetic epinephrine; in this book, we’re talking about adrenaline rushes). While some of the things are likely things many readers will easily overlook, or maybe even not notice, it’s hard for me to comprehend how the editing process missed so many things. The biggest one is the aforementioned Adrenalin/adrenaline issue, but there are times when sentences don’t read very smoothly and other such things. Still, the story is good enough that I feel confident that fans of suspense will greatly enjoy it. If it wasn’t for the editing problems, I would have given it 5 stars.
November 3, 2014
Mike Sweeney believes Jack Hodges can truly change the course of our nation. As one of his staffers, Mike is dedicated to helping Hodges's campaign. When a would-be assassin takes a shot at the presidential hopeful, his popularity with voters immediately increases. But why did the assassin target Hodges in the first place? Mike is assigned to find out, but digging into this mess is harder than it would initially appear. The woman jailed for the crime isn't talking and when Mike traces her to Guatemala, he has no choice but to hop a plane and follow the clues wherever they may lead. In politics, the past never stays buried and if there's any smudge on Hodges's record, the campaign could bomb.
Paul Harris's latest is certainly timely in its release. The subject of presidential campaigning is one that no one can avoid at the moment. Fortunately, while the book may prompt some additional thought into what might be going on behind the scenes today, that's really the only bearing it has on the actual campaigns going on right this moment.
THE CANDIDATE is a political thriller through and through. The story is interesting and the basis for the plot (civil war in Guatemala) is real -- and is also one that I personally know almost nothing about, a point characters are quick to latch onto in the book as well. Harris, a journalist who covers US politics, manages to delve into the topic here in a way that avoids being overly bogged down in complicated policy or facts. Instead, it's an easy read for someone looking for a good thriller and it's equally interesting for a reader who has some knowledge of political goings on as well.
Paul Harris's latest is certainly timely in its release. The subject of presidential campaigning is one that no one can avoid at the moment. Fortunately, while the book may prompt some additional thought into what might be going on behind the scenes today, that's really the only bearing it has on the actual campaigns going on right this moment.
THE CANDIDATE is a political thriller through and through. The story is interesting and the basis for the plot (civil war in Guatemala) is real -- and is also one that I personally know almost nothing about, a point characters are quick to latch onto in the book as well. Harris, a journalist who covers US politics, manages to delve into the topic here in a way that avoids being overly bogged down in complicated policy or facts. Instead, it's an easy read for someone looking for a good thriller and it's equally interesting for a reader who has some knowledge of political goings on as well.
September 25, 2012
Could there be a better time to read this book? Our book club met last night and we all agreed that this was the perfect book to read during a presidential election. A relatively obscure Presidential candidate, Jack Hodges is suddenly a contender as the result of a failed assassination attempt. The excitement rigors and sometimes ruthless elements of campaigning unfold as the secret past of the would be assassin as well as the candidate are hunted down by idealistic campaigner, Mike Sweeney.
The manipulation and raw power at work in campaigning are thought provoking, and unsettling, but the earnestness of Sweeney is reason for hope. The power of social media is as important in the novel as in our current presidential campaign, and some of the talking points of the candidates seem just familiar enough to sound authentic. Our book club won copies and we discussed it over dinner. Although we ruled out talking "real" politics, we found the book provided enough to talk about on its own, and made us wonder: Do we ever really know a candidate? With our widespread access to information, could something turn up to derail a candidate in this or any election?
Plenty of suspense to be found in this fast moving novel, and if you hurry you can get
it read before November 6th.
The manipulation and raw power at work in campaigning are thought provoking, and unsettling, but the earnestness of Sweeney is reason for hope. The power of social media is as important in the novel as in our current presidential campaign, and some of the talking points of the candidates seem just familiar enough to sound authentic. Our book club won copies and we discussed it over dinner. Although we ruled out talking "real" politics, we found the book provided enough to talk about on its own, and made us wonder: Do we ever really know a candidate? With our widespread access to information, could something turn up to derail a candidate in this or any election?
Plenty of suspense to be found in this fast moving novel, and if you hurry you can get
it read before November 6th.
September 5, 2012
The book opens with an idealist aid to a man running for president. A man running for president who is far behind in the polls. It's Iowa and it's time to get the name out there. Mike Sweeney just knows deep down that Jack Hodges is the man that can be the president that America needs. One night at a school someone takes a shot at Hodges and suddenly he is all over the news and rising in the polls. But why did someone want to kill him?
Mike is sent out to find out and what he learns could turn the campaign upside down.
This was an entertaining, page turning suspense novel - if you tossed reality to the wind. In today's 24 hour news world I doubt that the "big secret" at the core of the novel would have remained so. But barring that - the book reads fast and tense and the Mike is a very likable guy who finds himself in a very difficult place. The role of a minor blogger playing such a big piece of the puzzle was also a bit quirky but hey - one never knows these days with all of us bloggers around. The main characters (except for Hodges, who I guess is supposed to remain a bit of a chimera) are all well developed and defined. Some actions are despicable - but it's politics, baby.
This would definitely make a great beach read or since we are leaving beach season, a great hot chocolate and fireside read.
Mike is sent out to find out and what he learns could turn the campaign upside down.
This was an entertaining, page turning suspense novel - if you tossed reality to the wind. In today's 24 hour news world I doubt that the "big secret" at the core of the novel would have remained so. But barring that - the book reads fast and tense and the Mike is a very likable guy who finds himself in a very difficult place. The role of a minor blogger playing such a big piece of the puzzle was also a bit quirky but hey - one never knows these days with all of us bloggers around. The main characters (except for Hodges, who I guess is supposed to remain a bit of a chimera) are all well developed and defined. Some actions are despicable - but it's politics, baby.
This would definitely make a great beach read or since we are leaving beach season, a great hot chocolate and fireside read.
September 30, 2012
I read and enjoyed Paul Harris' first novel THE SECRET KEEPER, so I was excited to get a copy of his new release, THE CANDIDATE. This gripping political thriller is especially relevant as it comes on the eve of our Presidential election.
The story begins with a bang—literally, as an attempt is made on a candidate's life. Exciting and authentic—the timeliness of the subject matter makes the book especially intriguing.
I'm all about the characters and Harris gives his real substance. Jack Hodges, the candidate, Dee Babineaux, the campaign manager, Mike Sweeney, the aide who is recruited to find out who the shooter really is—they're all well developed and believable.
The author's knowledge about politics and people elevates The Candidate above other mysteries. The plot entertains, while it makes us think. Even if you are not a fan of politics, this is a story that will keep you turning the pages. Highly recommended.
The story begins with a bang—literally, as an attempt is made on a candidate's life. Exciting and authentic—the timeliness of the subject matter makes the book especially intriguing.
I'm all about the characters and Harris gives his real substance. Jack Hodges, the candidate, Dee Babineaux, the campaign manager, Mike Sweeney, the aide who is recruited to find out who the shooter really is—they're all well developed and believable.
The author's knowledge about politics and people elevates The Candidate above other mysteries. The plot entertains, while it makes us think. Even if you are not a fan of politics, this is a story that will keep you turning the pages. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2014
The plot is interesting. Although the writing could be better, I think it is good enough for the story.
What I liked the most was it is about how ambition and double standards can usually work. Like, torture and mass killings abroad can be equated to patriotism, but it is almost impossible to find any excuse for extramarital affairs.
This candidate seems to have "real" values and the best intentions. The people around him admire that and truly believe him. But it doesn't matter what it takes for him to win...
I definetly recommend this book.
What I liked the most was it is about how ambition and double standards can usually work. Like, torture and mass killings abroad can be equated to patriotism, but it is almost impossible to find any excuse for extramarital affairs.
This candidate seems to have "real" values and the best intentions. The people around him admire that and truly believe him. But it doesn't matter what it takes for him to win...
I definetly recommend this book.
September 8, 2012
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Have you ever wanted to go fictionally behind the scenes of an election? This book, The Candidate takes you into the heart of primaries and into both the minds of the candidates and their staff. With a little political thriller thrown in, the reader is taken into the world of Guatemala from the beginning without knowing how it will weave into a Presidential election.
Have you ever wanted to go fictionally behind the scenes of an election? This book, The Candidate takes you into the heart of primaries and into both the minds of the candidates and their staff. With a little political thriller thrown in, the reader is taken into the world of Guatemala from the beginning without knowing how it will weave into a Presidential election.
September 30, 2012
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
Recommended for political junkies and fans of suspense in this election year! I have a copy from the publisher to give away - please leave me a message on my blog if you are interested.
Recommended for political junkies and fans of suspense in this election year! I have a copy from the publisher to give away - please leave me a message on my blog if you are interested.
August 28, 2012
Perfect timing for this political thriller. Kudos to Paul Harris for creating this page-turning tale with sharp, impeccable style (except for the consistently misspelled Southern "you all" -- it's y'all, not ya'll).
September 2, 2012
The author mined our strange American Primaries season, and came up with a terrific plot and interesting characters. This one kept me up late several nights.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews