Fate of the Union

Reeder and Rogers #2

by Max Allan Collins, Matthew V. Clemens

When a retired colleague dies of an apparent suicide, ex–Secret Service agent Joe Reeder knows there must be far more to the story. Why did the man leave a desperate message for Reeder moments before dying? And what could possibly make such a seasoned veteran fear for his life?

FBI Special Agent Patti Rogers has a mystery of her own to solve: she’s leading a task force investigating a brutal series of similar but seemingly unconnected murders across the DC area. Are they serial killings or something even more sinister?

Could Reeder and Rogers be tracking down different facets of the same conspiracy? And how do the continued assassination attempts on a presidential hopeful figure into an unprecedented attack on the heart of government?

The answers to these questions are uncovered in this riveting sequel to the bestselling Supreme Justice.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Action, Audiobook, Crime, Political Thriller

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2015

About the author

Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.

He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.

Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black

Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book just really clicked for me! Fate of the Union is a fast paced thriller where characters, chemistry and plot flowed almost perfectly together. I listened to the audio book and the narrator does a good job with the story and characters.

I really cruised through the book. I like it when that happens. The first book was pretty good. In Book 2, Reeder and Rogers play off each other much better. The other supporting characters and bad guys are equally well developed.

Reeder is asked to look into a "suicide" of a former Secret Service collegue. Meanwhile, Rodgers and her team is investigating a series of murders but is having difficulty determining if they are related or not. Through a series of events Reeder and Rogers wind up working together once again on something that may be much larger than they thought possible.

The story pushes at being a lot over the top but not in a gratuitous way. I found Rogers being a bit of an enigma. The story and dialog is tight and the reader is right in there with the team trying to solve the clues. A fun rollercoaster of a ride!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Political thrillers are not usually the first books I pick up in the crime genre, but when I do and the book is as great a read as Fate of the Union, I begin to wonder why my reticence. The action is full of the suspense that I crave in books, and the characters are wonderfully drawn, with interesting flaws and quirks. Max Collins and Matthew Clemens have certainly won me over with this second in their Joe Reeder series. I plan to quickly go back and pick up the first, Supreme Justice.

Joe Reeder is an ex-Secret Service agent, who has twice saved the lives of the leaders in the United States, one of those being the President. He has earned a stellar reputation and envied popularity rating, but he is dismissive of the accolades and more interested in running his successful security buiness, ABC Security, name chosen for its advantageous placement in the phone book. How does one create a leading character who is a hero and a great guy with an amazing sense of humor, an admired figure who doesn't take himself too seriously? Well, Collins and Clemens have created such a character, a blend of kick-ass awesome. Of course, once in the Secret Service, you become ensconced in a mind-set that stays with you, and if you're lucky, keeps you alive.

Reeder is what is loosely termed a consultant for the FBI's Special Situations Task Force, as well as running his successful security firm. He and the head of this force, FBI Special Agent Patti Rogers, worked together on the last case where he saved the life of a high-ranking official. In Fate of the Union, the officially labeled suicide of one of Reeder's former Secret Service colleagues and string of execution-style killings bring Reeder and Rogers together again. The connection of these separate events is buried deep in a conspiracy that requires the combined efforts of these two highly capable professionals, along with Roger's personally vetted task force. The stakes are high and the bodies are piling up, as a killer has his sights on a prize of enormous impact. And, of course, time is slipping away as fast as the killer. For Reeder and Rogers, they must be their most brilliant and most resourceful ever if they are to prevent the final act of a madman.

So glad that I expanded my reading comfort zone to include this amazing novel. The action is so well paced and the story is so compelling that a reader will immediately become fully engaged in this crisis for the nation. The characters and their dialogue, with an infusion of humor, are yet another reason to enjoy this book, and it doesn't hurt that it all takes place in the invigorating setting of Washington, D.C. A most satisfying read.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from the beginning and would not let go. This book had so many angles going on that there was no way anyone could put them all together. You've got an ex-Secret Service man who commits suicide; you've got someone going around and putting two bullets in people's heads that have absolutely no connection; you've got assassinate attempts and a brand new kind of explosive. Oh, and people are being murdered every day. Reeder steps in knowing his friend did not commit suicide - who carries a Glock and hangs himself?

The author did an excellent job of keeping me up late, as I could not put this book down. There are so many suspects and so many lies being told that you don't know what to think. Just when you think you know "who did it", they get shot or killed somehow. It was definitely a page turner and I highly recommend it!! Start it way before bedtime though.

Huge thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I had read and met the author before, but somehow he slipped through the cracks. I won't forget him in the future!

[Tracy T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sure do like these conspiracy stories. Very intriguing and surprising. Great narration (audible review).

I really like Joe Reeder's character a lot. I also like Patti Rogers. This was a good mystery and some killings. I don't want to say too much here because I don't want to give away any spoilers.

The story line and plot is good, there is a lot of dialogue and the story is well written and easy to follow along and not be confused. There is always something going on so it's not full of filler nonsense. If you like conspiracy mystery's you will enjoy this series.

As for the narration, I really like Dan John Miller. He does a good job on the female voices and Joe Reeder's voice sounds sexy. He has a nice reading voice and is enjoyable to listen to. I am going to read the last book in this series.

This whole series is a free read free listen on KU. Cant beat that!

[Eleanor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible adventure ala Reeder and Rogers. Smooth sailing in this one, the writing is so crisp and fast-paced. I know page-turner is overused as a descriptor, but it's a genuine page-turner and I can't think of a better way to say it. Great writing, cliffhangers around every corner, and really just everything a good suspense novel should be--including a completely believable, yet unbelievably clever, plot that will leave you open-mouthed. I never outline storylines in reviews as I dislike spoilers, but I will say this is One. Terrific. Plot. And a strong nominee for best-surprise-reveal-of-a-weapon-ever award. As a serial reader, I often think I will be hard to surprise, but not this time.
One thing also of note is that while there are a large number of people in the supporting cast, each is unique and memorable and I had no trouble following the story, or distinguishing the characters from one another, and this is no easy feat. It's great fun getting to know everyone (yes, I know they are not real) and that just makes the story better. And the mood of the story as set in Arlington Cemetery and the surrounding DC area works incredibly well. Love all the different political views of the characters also.
I truly cannot wait for another installment with these two, by these two, and I hope some of the supporting cast will be back for a return appearance as well. This is going on my list of best series books to anticipate.
When you write a good series opener like Supreme Justice was, there's a lot to live up to in the second installment. Happily, this is one second offering that measures up and does so in spades. Purely masterful storytelling. Collins and Clemens are just the most amazing blend of writing. Wow, guys.

[Ben Boulden · Rating 4 out of 5]

FATE OF THE UNION is the second novel—after SUPREME JUSTICE (2014)—featuring former Secret Service Agent Joe Reeder and current FBI Agent Patti Rogers written by Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens. Reeder is popularly known as an American hero—a notion he chafes from—for saving the lives of a President and a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In retirement he operates a successful investigative and security firm, and, as the story opens, Joe is concerned by a voicemail from a former Secret Service colleague named Chris Bryson—

“Call this number when you get this. Life and death, brother—don’t let me down.”

Joe returns the call with no response. He hears nothing until his wife finds him at Arlington National Cemetery and tells him Chris was found dead at a cheap motel, hanging by a belt from the shower rod. Chris’s wife doesn’t believe it is suicide, and asks Joe to investigate. The only clues are Chris’s uncharacteristic nervousness in the days leading to his death, and a single word uttered to his wife: “sink.”

The setting is Washington, D. C. of the late 2020s, and the story, while not political, is very much a political thriller. The political landscape is much like our own—non-cooperative partisanship as the parties splinter away from each other and the moderate middle—and acts as both antagonist and battlefield. The story is larger than a simple murder as suicide, and involves a shady cast of characters, including a billionaire, a Department of Defense contractor, and a nasty psychopath. It is something of a mix between television’s Criminal Minds and a Robert Ludlum novel. But better than either because of its ability to surprise, and make the reader believe.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This novel is your standard "former national hero secret service agent who took a bullet for the president-of-the-future receives a phone call from his friend who needs to talk, but before they can talk his friend dies in mysterious circumstances leading said agent to uncover a possible serial killer who turns out to be part of a giant conspiracy" story.

It's full of your typical thriller cliches like...

- Dead friends.
- Dead friends' wives as possible love interests.
- Billionaires
- Incompetent local cops
- Incompetent federal cops
- Female Federal Agent sidekick who defies all orders to work with the hero of the story.
- Conspiracies involving large corporations and the government.
- Mysterious technology.
- Geeky genderless sidekick available via "phone a friend"
- Strippers. (who may not actually be strippers)
- Transvestites. (who may not actually be transvestites)
- Transphobia.
- Main hero as a Social Justice Warrior.
- and more...

But seriously though... this book was not bad, with all of that said. It just felt as though I had read this thing all before, by so many other authors, and so so much better. It was like the author took all of the cliches of this genre, inserted their characters' names, and changed some of the minor details.

At least 60% of this novel involves the main characters following red herrings all over the country, while I was deeply suspicious about the people who wound up being the bad guys.

In spite of all of this, I was actually prepared to give this novel a fighting chance, because it was at least engaging, and somewhat entertaining. That was until I hit the ending. But first, the climax of the story had the potential for such interesting tension, involving bombs, and threats and whatnot, but it was over in one sentence and a goddamned cheesy line. And that was before we got ending.

To say that the ending was a deeply unsatisfying, exposition-heavy talk-fest, followed by a convenient wrap, would be an understatement.

*sigh*

Also published at The Book of Bogan

[Trish R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, the second book had the same people as the third (which I read first) and some of them die in the third book so this was kind of crazy to me to read about people who were already dead. You really can’t read the third book then go backwards. If there had been three different stories with three sets of characters it would have been better.

I think this might have been my favorite one of the three. The mystery lasted longer than the others’ did and at 89% they still didn’t know who the blond killer was. The readers did, but his name was all you knew. You had no idea who he worked for or why he killed Adam Benjamin’s entire protection detail. It was fun trying to figure it all out before the end. It was interesting the chase to find and stop the bad guy from blowing up the Capitol building on the night of the State of the Union address. There were about 350 people in the building and it would have killed everyone, if Reeder hadn’t stopped him.

I’m sure the author saw something in making the main FBI agent, Patti Rogers, gay or bi-sexual, and then becoming interested in a transvestite, but if you’re not filling the book with sex what’s the point? And there is NO sex in these books. That part of the storyline filled the books with pages but they were unnecessary pages. IMO..

Again, as with the other two books, there was a LOT of head shots and blood and brain matter. You have to be NOT bothered by that kind of thing to really enjoy these books.

Like I said, no sex. But the F-bomb was used 14 times.

AS to the narration: Dan John Miller did a really great job on all these books, both in voices and emotions.

[Nenette · Rating 4 out of 5]

On one hand, it was good to read this immediately after the first book in the series, for the purpose of continuity. On the other hand though, it might be too much, too soon. I tend to favor my first statement; most probably because I can't keep still if I know there is a sequel that is accessible to me.

So, Reeder and Rogers were at it again. All well and good, but as I am not an expert, I couldn't comment on the plausibility of their skills. Thinking on the lines of logic, yes, it's likely that in reality people with such skills could exist. At the end of the day though, without the story being too absurd and downright impossible, I forego these observations (on realistic or otherwise) and just focus on the entertainment value, which this book has a lot of.

[Jim A · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay effort by Collins and Clemens. Started out as a pretty good political thriller. The end game seemed, to me at least, a bit contrived.

Like most of the Collins books, this one moves right along. There are a lot of references to the first Reeder/Rogers novel, Supreme Justice, that reading it first is almost required.

[Tulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and outstanding book.

Fall in love with these authors writing style, have four pages of notes. Real page turner, now I can sit back and stop grinding my teeth. Reeder is trying to find out why his friend died, Rogers is investigating murders in DC. They come together again find the answer. Unstable next-generation plastic explosives, 3-D printing.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have liked to give this 4.5 stars. It certainly is a page turner and there are lots of interesting twists. The ending wasn't as developed as I would like and there was what seemed like a lot of necessary clothing descriptions.

[Taylor Porter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead

Max Allan Collins is back! Return of the MAC! What it do? What it is.

Partnering with co-author Matthew Clemens, Collins returns to the immediate future with the sequel to his Goodreads acclaimed novel Supreme Justice. Dubbed “Reeder and Rogers #2”, this thriller follows intrepid investigators FBI agent Patti Rogers and people reading expert Joe “Peep” Reeder. Peep Reeder. I’ll never get sick of that.

Right off the bat: Fate of the Union is a huge improvement over Supreme Justice (click for my not-too-kind/kind-of-funny review). I’ll go ahead and give Matt Clemens all the credit for the improvements and blame Collins for everything else.

Chapter one starts out as a thriller should. Bryson, an old friend of Peep’s, finds himself the target of a secret organization. After failing to raise Peep on his cell phone presumed idiot Bryson leaves his hotel room and falls right into the hands of his pursuers. These dark-clad men inject Bryson with a paralytic (hilariously called “the sux”) and hang him from his belt in the shower, effectively staging his suicide. Bryson fades to death as his phone begins to ring. It’s Peep returning his call. The reader is left wondering what Bryson found that got him killed, as well as a good grasp of how high the stakes are with the brutal murder of one of Peep’s former secret service friends. Really good stuff here.

“Joe Reeder hated being called a hero”

Ok. Fuck Joe Reeder. Seven words into his first chapter and I’m immediately reminded how much of a bell-end this guy is. Peep has built up quite a resume of heroism after saving, not only a president, but a justice of the supreme court in the first book (not to mention his own daughter). Let me paint you a picture: Imagine a pure white haired man in a Burberry coat driving a Prius... you know what... I’m just going to stop there because you should already hate him at this point.

Joe owns and operates a top end security firm and because he’s so uncomfortable with the attention his heroism garners he chooses to ignore his cell phone. You have responsibilities, Joe, answer your fucking phone. Bryson died because “oh no another reporter wants to tell me how good a guy I am oh nooooooo”. Be an adult for a minute and do your job.

I’ll gloss over the rest of the book as it’s pretty standard fare. Patti Rogers is investigating a series of murders with a common thread: two bullet wounds to the back of the head. She and Peep correspond pretty frequently following the events of Supreme Justice and within the course of their conversation over dinner they decide Bryson’s death and Patti’s murders might be related. Since this is Reeder and Rogers #2 it’s time for a team-up! At one point the matter of Patti’s sexuality is broached. More on that later.

There are some classic thriller tropes here. Joe and Patti stumble into like three or four shootouts. At one point they jump away from an explosion! Yeah!! They have a team of like five other people that are truly useless and serve only to maintain the dialogue. More on THAT later as well. One team member, Miggie, is like the MVP of the squad. He’s the company’s computer guy and is the only one that really gathers any meaningful evidence. Frankly I was surprised he didn’t get killed as he’s just too useful.

Let’s skip to the end. America’s richest man and face of the centrist Common Sense movement, Andrew Benjamin, is considering a run for president. Through two failed attempts on Benjamin’s life (both thwarted by totally-not-a-hero Joe Reeder) the American public see him as a sympathetic figure and his poll numbers soar. Meanwhile, Joe and his team discover a plot to blow up the capital building during the current president’s State of the Union address. Much like Supreme Justice the resolution is rushed and sloppy as the team simply uses some evidence they already had, a little leg work, and a bullet to the bad guy’s face to wrap it up. Oh and Benjamin is the mastermind behind it all because of reasons. Benjamin as the main conspirator was very predictable but the authors did do a well enough job of mixing in some things to cast some doubt.

Once again I’ll lay out some random things in this book that range between bad and hilarious.

I gave out about Peep Reeder being a stupid name in the previous book. But really this guy’s name should be something like Whit E. Banter or Quips A. Plenty. Fans of CSI: Miami would be ashamed at the amount of one-liners. One piece of evidence includes a picture of Patrick Henry from the 1700s. Peep asks “Are Bill and Ted in it?”

The team’s expert profiler has this line: “I’m the guy who should be able to give you that pattern, but so far—unlike our killer—I’m shooting blanks.” Look man your fertility problems are not my business can we get back to work?

I’d say these characters are wooden but that would be an insult to things made of wood that actually have character. Like a smart chair or precocious end table. Not once do any of these people have any passion about anything. Any disagreements between the protagonists are quickly quashed. Everyone is on the same page all the time. Even the authority figures are relatively agreeable. There are so many scenes in this book that are just considering evidence or courses of action but there is no life to them at all.

There is one pretty great quip. Peep senses something is amiss and is able to get himself and Patti under cover before two buildings blow up right in their face. Peep explains how he was able to telegraph the explosion to which Patti says “you’re not a damn building reader”. Just the thought of Joe in his stupid Burberry coat glaring at a house, scrutinizing every furrowed window sill or shifty drape flutter. “What’s this guy up to?” Joe wonders. “Probably thinking about exploding.”

Not only does Joe not check his phone but he doesn’t carry a gun. Probably doesn’t want to get oil on his Burberry coat.

Speaking of the coat, Max Allan Collins must have some kind of deal with Burberry because he mentions it all the time. In fact he can’t help but give us a little fashion run down of all the characters at every opportunity. Max, we can assume everyone is dressed professionally. I wasn’t sitting here thinking Patti was wearing pink “slut” sweatpants or computer-nerd Miggie in a “my other car is the Millennium Falcon" t-shirt.

“Your job isn’t so much to find the connections between these victims as it is how they got on the same kill list.” What’s the difference, Joe?

There’s a little subplot involving Patti and a transvestite (yes, Max calls them transvestite). Kevin “Virginia” Lockwood is the former roommate of one of Patti’s murder victims (a transvestite prostitute). Initially they share a sweet moment where Patti treats Virginia as a person, unlike the first cops that questioned her. This is all undone later on as, during a shootout, Patti tells Kevin it’s time to “man-up”. Patti goes on to consider Kevin and Virginia as two different personalities, as opposed to two personae of the same person. I’m no SJW but is this offensive? Comment if you have some perspective on this. To cap it off Patti invites Kevin to Joe’s post we-stopped-the-bad-guys soirée. Is Patti gay? Straight? Bi? Is Kevin gay? Is Virginia straight? Why is this a thing in this book?

Here's something I liked. The now-armed Joe comes face-to-face with the killer, who is holding the detonator ready to blow up the capital building. The villain starts monologuing and Joe just shoots him in the head! THANK YOU. Very smart but ultimately unsatisfying as we never get a good sense of the killer’s character.

Final point. Joe Reeder confronts Andrew Benjamin at his home in Ohio and talks the billionaire into killing himself. Yup. Walks into his house, flat-out lies about evidence pointing in Benjamin’s direction, and walks out again. He and Patti hear the gunshot before they even get back to their rental car. Patti could not give less of a shit either. The dinner party scene comes right after that and then THE END. Just a terrible, rushed ending.

Though I said Fate of the Union is superior to its predecessor these are both firm 2-star novels. They’re just not any good. The crimes are straight-forward and bland. The characters are stale. The plots predictable. The dialogue is weak. There’s just nothing to absorb here.

In my last review I compared Supreme Justice to your basic cop drama TV show. The difference here is that the characters on those shows are brought to life by the strength of the actors playing them. Here we are left with pure, flat, nothing. I was looking forward to reading this book so I could submit another fun review (I’m basically doing this to flex my writing muscles, which are horribly atrophied). Now I’m just glad it’s over.

[Mindo'ermatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast Easy Read, but Too Easily Forgotten

Strengths:
• Good writing, fun to read
• Descriptions embedded to not detract from story
• Although second in series, could be a standalone novel

Weaknesses:
• Slow first 40%
• Too many flat characters cluttered early chapters
• Plotline too predictable
• Cliches and trite phrases okay for character dialogues but not for story narrative

Great escape read that once past early chapters moves quickly to a focused end. Need to read first novel before this one if you really want to understand Reeder and Rogers. Some early chapters, especially Chapter 7, lacked definition and structure, although all proved essential to storyline.

Story of interagency conflicts much milder than first volume. This book focuses more on investigation procedures than characters, making it less politically skewed avoids pitfalls of first book.

Not sure if two authors created some of the early chapter confusion, but the last 60% of the book went smoothly. Story ending was okay and set the stage for next book in series without leaving too much unresolved.

The Audible narration went generally well but revealed limitations in narrator's voice repretuair, especially for female voices.

I intend to read next book, but I have lowered my expectations.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Reeder and Rogers series begins with the death of a former Secret Service agent. He left a message on Joe Reeder's phone, but Reeder doesn't get the message until after his former colleague is dead. Joe is suspicious when the death is declared a suicide and is determined to look into it more closely.

Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Patti Rogers is leading a taskforce investigating a series of murders in the area around Washington, DC. All they seem to have in common is the manner of death. Otherwise, the victims are seemingly random.

It soon becomes apparent that Joe's investigation and Patti's are connected and lead to something big coming up. Their investigation takes them to billionaire and potential third-party candidate Adam Benjamin who is pushing an agenda of Common-Sense centrism. Benjamin is one of Reeder's few heroes.

The story is packed with action, suspense, and high stakes crimes. I enjoyed getting together with Reeder and Rogers for another excellent thriller. I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginnings of chapters which featured people buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

[DG · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Max Allan Collins book - and it was a good one, although I understand from some reviewers that the previous book in this series, Supreme Justice, is even better. I'll try it soon.

This is a fast paced mystery/thriller based on ex secret service Joe Reader and his pretty young compatriot, Patti Rogers. There's a whole cast of characters that are well introduced and developed, and a good story well told to combine to keep you turning pages.

I didn't think it was a great book, though. At the end the plot contrivances strained my admittedly very critical assessment of real world credibility. And in the rush to finish, some of the character interaction that drove the story early on suffered.

But that's only enough to reduce my rating from 5 to 4 stars. The lack of perfection does not keep it from being fun and holding my interest. I'll be checking out the earlier book in this series and will decide Max Allan Collins place in my hierarchy of mystery/thriller writers at that time.

[Tim Healy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only experience with Max Allan Collins, prior to reading the first book in this series, Supreme Justice, was a few issues of Batman from the mid 80's. I wasn't terribly impressed, but I didn't see very much of his run. I was impressed with Supreme Justice. It had an interesting plot, and it's slightly dystopian near future setting was interesting. So, when I got offered a special on this one, I picked it up. Honestly, I didn't know he'd written anything else with these characters...that's how much attention I paid. I'm not sorry I found more. This was really pretty good. Again, it's got a pretty good, political thriller, plot. I like the characters, and everything is consistent with what I got out of the earlier book. I enjoyed this enough that I'll give the third book a try, too.

[Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid 4 stars to me.

This is set in the near future, perhaps 20 years from now. Left and right wing political parties have grown farther and farther apart and one of the characters is a multi-billionaire who is a proponent of "common sense" and a centrist view of where the country should be headed politically. The FBI and former secret service agent, who is now head of his own security firm, are investigating execution style murders of victims who seem to have no connections. Are these serial killer murders or executions? Is there an underlying conspiracy? If so, to what purpose?

The characters and plot are well developed, realistic, and believable. It is not filled with unlikely coincidences which might make the reader think, "Yeah, right." There is a high level of suspense as the plot unfolds. This would make a good movie.

I would recommend this book.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a fellow former Secret Service agent and personal friend is found dead in what appears to be a suicide shortly after leaving an urgent message on Joe Reeder's phone, Reeder is naturally suspicious. Asking FBI agent Patti Rogers for help, he begins to look into the case. Meanwhile, Rogers and her team are also looking into a series of seeminly unrelated professional looking murders. As both investigations progress, it becomes clear that the cases are related - and that there's a far-reaching conspiracy at work which, minus the motive, turns out to be pretty much the premise of Designated Survivor, just without the survivor.

Another good, fastpaced read with plenty of twists. The climax was a little too anticlimactic, though.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this booking using Amazon Prime.

I read this book right after I finished Supreme Justice which was the first book in the series. Joe gets involved in this because one of the individuals that he worked with while in the Secret Service was killed shortly after he had tried to call Joe. Joe began working on trying to find out who was responsible for killing his friend. While doing so, he began to see similarities between his case and the cases that Patti Rogers who was leading a task force for the FBI.

Following clues and ultimately understanding what "Senk" related to, the previous partners were able to find out who was responsible. The action ranged from the attempted assassination of a potential presidential candidate to a potential finally to the State of the Union address.

If you want to really understand what the action in the book related to and how the ending brought everything together, then you must read this book. You won't be disappointed.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fate of the Union," the second in this series by Collins, was an enjoyable read. At times the story felt contrived, especially the threat to those close to main characters and the down-to-the-wire resolution. I do like the development of the Reeder and Rogers characters as a team, however would like to see a bit more of who Rogers is. There are times she feels like nothing more than an accessory to Reeder.
My favorite part of Mr. Collins' books are the quotes he uses to begin each chapter: some I am familiar with (as a child of the 20th century) but I confess to not appreciating Thomas Paine until seeing his quotes (Mr. Collins seems to be a big fan).
I intend to read the third book in the Reeder and Rogers series and would recommend these books be read in order.

[Nancy Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Action Packed Investigative Thriller"

In this second novel of this excellent series, ex-Secret Service agent Joe Reeder is concerned about the death of a retired colleague. Apparent suicide? No; Joe believes he was murdered. The man had left a desperate message on Joe's cell phone. FBI Special Agent Patti Rogers is meanwhile leading a task force investigating a series of similar brutal murders. Is there another conspiracy darkening the swamp in Washington, D.C.? Again, Joe and Pattie team up to uncover the deception. This book is a real fast page turner, one which will keep you enthralled. Highly recommend.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well done thriller

I got hooked during the saving of the Justice on the first book. Reeder and Rogers are working together again after an old friend of Reeder's dies in suspicious circumstancrs made to look like suicide. Rogers is working on a multiple homicide spree and the two cases collide. Good side development of some of the characters and a satisfying ending that opens the door for more work for the team. Really enjoy this author: articulate, clean writing, good word usage. Look forward to the next one.

[George Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting plot

I found this author to be very interesting. The whole plot of the story seemed far fetched but disturbingly upsetting. The story was well written and the characters were well developed. They became friends right from the beginning. The book he is my interest and was actually a real page turner. I found it hard to put down. I look forward to reading more of his books. I would recommend him to any mystery fan.

[DarcLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Capitol Offence?

Another great political thriller with awesome narration. A plot that if Reeder and Rogers cant stop could be the downfall of the American government. I really enjoyed this action packed rollercoaster of a ride with lots of tension, some humour and the ever present chemistry between our heroes. Throw in a transvestite, a dead librarian and a presidential candidate good old boy and you have one truly interesting story. A must read for fans of Clancy...

[William M Bass · Rating 5 out of 5]

The real Washington D.C. lifestyle?

This story captured some of the activities and experiences that really exist in D.C. I spent a short time there as an entry level staffer and found the telling of interrelated contact between government agencies very believable and not usually written about in any genre. Of course the best story line was the intrigue of the terrorist/criminal activities that kept me turning pages quickly over several days of thoroughly enjoyable reading.

[Cab · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the series. You absolutely can read this one without having read the 1st one. I found this one as engaging as the 1st. Although, I'll admit that I knew who the bad guy was early in the story, I didn't know the how or why. I have no doubt that there are better, more complex plots/storyline out there but this meets my need of keeping my attention and getting me past my non reading slump. I will definitely read the next one in the series.

[Nancy Alexander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Excellent fast paced tight plot

Well written and well designed. Want to say "enough call me Joe" and if you're going to say friends were so good you should not have them leaving for a steak when you're afraid for your life. Other than those few negative comments, the book is very good, keeping readers attention for hours on end. The relationship between Reeder and Rogers gets better with each book. Good work!

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun read

The Reeder and Rogers series is good. Very good pacing, action and and plot lines that just work very well. Maybe i read too many books of this type but I'm able to figure out the big twist early on but it's still fun to get through the layers and confirm my suspicion

[Mai-Lan Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

Good story that moves along promptly with little dead time. Good cast of characters who work together to solve the unsolvable mystery. Given literally nothing to go forward on, they manage to chip away at problem until finally resolved. Several areas of the story ended up in disappointing outcomes over simplified from my perspective!