Deep Background

by David Corn

After President Bob Hanover is shot dead at the White House press conference by a gunman with no identity, Nick Addis,, a presidential aide, is reluctantly drawn into an unofficial-and private-investigation of the assassination. In this off-the-books effort, he is joined by Clarence Dunne, the disgraced chief of White House security, and Julia Lancette, a CIA analyst at odds with the Agency. As the intrigue mounts-the first lady and the vice president are fiercely competing for their party's presidential nomination-Addis, Dunne, and Lancette are confronted by faceless and ruthless enemies determined to stop them from uncovering long-hidden secrets.

Genres: Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

David Corn is a veteran Washington journalist and political commentator. He is the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones magazine and an analyst for MSNBC. He is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, including Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Battled the GOP to Set Up the 2012 Election and Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War (co-written with Michael Isikoff). He is also the author of the biography Blond Ghost: Ted Shackley and the CIA’s Crusades and the novel Deep Background.

Reviews

[Kenneth · Rating 2 out of 5]

David Corn is an award winning journalist and a very good reporter. This early attempt at writing fiction was a pretty good shot, but somewhat wanting.
I thought that the black characters were a bit “politically incorrect” and stereotypical, although I must admit that I know some guys like these characters from my own acquaintances. The author avoids the typical story turns as much as possible, and is somewhat clever in developing the story and avoiding the predictableness that many of these type of thriller novels fall into.
I must warn you about the rather rough language used in many places in this book. If I had been aware of that I would not have picked up this book to begin with.

[Jerry Peace · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like political novels with corruption, murder, manipulation, lying, and a general atmosphere of "Fuck you, we know what's best for the herd" as they rake in the bribes, handouts and brandish "My soul for sale" signs, like D.C. still is, then you must read this book. If you have a weak stomach or heart, and have been incommunicado with Sasquatch or Lizard Man for the last fifty years or so, skip it. The reality of this novel might kill you.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great first novel - a political thriller. Bob Hanover, U.S. President, is shot during a press conference in the White House. Aide Nick Addis is plunged into the aftermath. I love the new TV show, West Wing, and this has the same qualities - investigating the people behind the man. A great story. I'm looking for more from this guy.

[Olean Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too detailed

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

very enjoyable...read it a few years ago.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot and good characters, but I hate that one of my favorite people died. Good ending.