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Jack Sharpe #1
The People's House
Can someone heist the majority of the House of Representatives with no one noticing? That’s the electoral coup that turns America upside down in THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE…
...Until one man notices.
Political reporter Jack Sharpe is logging time at the tail end of a disappointing career -- jaded about politics and stung by personal hard knocks. But after an odd election result in the Ohio Congressional district he covers, Sharpe stumbles across irregularities that spur him to dig deeper. The story takes him far beyond his corner of Ohio as he discovers an international plot—one that strikes at the heart of American democracy by taking advantage of weaknesses in today’s political architecture. His reporting leads to a showdown with the philandering Congressman and Presidential contender who knew about the plan but told nobody, and the eccentric but deadly Russian energy baron who masterminded it all. In order to save himself and the country, Sharpe must rekindle his old fire to navigate a treacherous journey through danger, betrayal, and atonement..
...Until one man notices.
Political reporter Jack Sharpe is logging time at the tail end of a disappointing career -- jaded about politics and stung by personal hard knocks. But after an odd election result in the Ohio Congressional district he covers, Sharpe stumbles across irregularities that spur him to dig deeper. The story takes him far beyond his corner of Ohio as he discovers an international plot—one that strikes at the heart of American democracy by taking advantage of weaknesses in today’s political architecture. His reporting leads to a showdown with the philandering Congressman and Presidential contender who knew about the plan but told nobody, and the eccentric but deadly Russian energy baron who masterminded it all. In order to save himself and the country, Sharpe must rekindle his old fire to navigate a treacherous journey through danger, betrayal, and atonement..
311 pages, ebook
First published August 15, 2016
358 people are currently reading
1139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
April 2, 2018
Fantastic political thriller.
This book was written long before the 2016 elections, really think author had a crystal ball, knew what was coming. If you're political junkie and enjoyed "All the President's Men" you'll enjoy this book too. Russians, voting irregularity, hacked electronic voting machines, on the take senators. On top of this oil and gas drilling.
This book was written long before the 2016 elections, really think author had a crystal ball, knew what was coming. If you're political junkie and enjoyed "All the President's Men" you'll enjoy this book too. Russians, voting irregularity, hacked electronic voting machines, on the take senators. On top of this oil and gas drilling.
April 16, 2018
This chillingly prescient political thriller is one of the best books I've read lately. Written in 2015 before any of the current election-tampering controversy was on our radar, the book centers around the successful attempt by a Russian oil-and-gas oligarch to elect Republican candidates who will favor a pipeline project. The engaging main character, Jack Sharpe, is a political reporter at the Youngstown Vindicator who just can't let go of a story. There's a large cast of characters and a shifting timeline, so you'll have to pay attention to places and dates, but stay with it--the effort will pay off.
The author, the chair of the Democratic Committee of Ohio, is a political insider who knows where the bodies are buried and how to dig them up. Hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I'm already 20 pages into the second in the series and hoping that David Pepper has a third book in the works.
The author, the chair of the Democratic Committee of Ohio, is a political insider who knows where the bodies are buried and how to dig them up. Hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I'm already 20 pages into the second in the series and hoping that David Pepper has a third book in the works.
November 19, 2023
Always looking for a great political thriller, I stumbled upon this series debut by David Pepper. Gripping and realistic (penned years before the 2020 election), Pepper pulls the reader in with this strong thriller and allows things to flow from there. When an odd result in a congressional election leads to the ousting of a popular Ohio representative, a journalist begins poking around. What Jack Sharpe discovers is not only troubling but could lead to a disputed election result. With a secret group relishing the results and eager to control the American political landscape for the foreseeable future, Sharpe will have to ensure those with power are aware and hope they are not part of the problem at hand. A riveting thriller that could have been pulled from the headlines, though it was published years before accusations arose during Trump’s attempted stolen election. Pepper knows his stuff and entertains the reader until the final page turn.
In the waning days of his career, political reporter Jack Sharpe has little to look back upon with much happiness. Stung by a number of personal issues and soured by politics in his native Ohio, as well as the country, Sharpe is ready to call it a career and find something that will make him happy. After an odd upset in the recent congressional elections, Sharpe decides to take a closer look.
What begins as an odd number of votes for an unlikely and weak candidate soon turns serious, as it appears voting machines are behind the skew. Following the leads wherever they take him, Sharpe soon finds that the company providing the machines has recently been purchased by a mysterious buyer, one whose reach extends outside of the United States. All the while, senior politicians across the aisle are mum about the machines and their validity, which only creates more questions in Sharpe’s mind.
The more he pushes, the less sure Jack Sharpe is that the election results in the district are to be believed. Extrapolating the results outside of Ohio, Sharpe soon sees that other anomalies took place in districts across the country, though one would really have to look to find them. With someone in the shadows sitting back and watching, it would appear as though a minute nudge by these various machines could have caused a seismic shift in the political landscape, thereby turning the results in a specific direction. With this knowledge, Jack Sharpe is ready to blow the horn on what he’s found. However, some would rather silence Sharpe and those with whom he is closer than have their interference splashed across the front page. A gripping piece that is poignant in today’s political landscape, providing David Pepper’s abilities.
Many who know me will understand how much I enjoy a good political thriller. David Pepper delivers effectively with a strong story that is bolstered by some key elements for success. The narrative foundation is solid, building on a simple idea and letting things flow from there. The determination, not only of the story but also of the ideas, helps add depth and provides the momentum that is needed to keep things on the edge. With various perspectives over a number of time periods, the true imprint of the deception can be seen by the acute reader. Pepper keeps the reader guessing and flipping pages until the final reveal, where all comes crashing into place.
Key character development also adds something to the story that is essential to its success. Working not only with the likes of Jack Sharpe, but those around him on both sides of the coin, keeps the story moving and the intensity high. As this is the debut novel to the Jack Sharpe series, the protagonist’s presentation is key to the overall intrigue the of the series. Pepper offers up some strong backstory for Jack, while also reading at a great deal more to come. With some great forward movement as well, the story stays strong and the outlook for the next novel has has me eager to reach for it. I wonder who might return and their role in the second book.
Plot points keep the story fresh and moving. Political thrillers are never short on twists and Pepper made sure that this book was no exception. I quite enjoyed how things developed, partially in plain sight and also behind some veils. It is great to see how well things mesh and what there is to come, as Jack Sharpe is surely not going to back down or pack up, now that he has this story in his control. I am ready to delve deeper and see what Jack Sharpe has going on in the second novel.
Kudos, Mr. Pepper, for a gripping debut!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In the waning days of his career, political reporter Jack Sharpe has little to look back upon with much happiness. Stung by a number of personal issues and soured by politics in his native Ohio, as well as the country, Sharpe is ready to call it a career and find something that will make him happy. After an odd upset in the recent congressional elections, Sharpe decides to take a closer look.
What begins as an odd number of votes for an unlikely and weak candidate soon turns serious, as it appears voting machines are behind the skew. Following the leads wherever they take him, Sharpe soon finds that the company providing the machines has recently been purchased by a mysterious buyer, one whose reach extends outside of the United States. All the while, senior politicians across the aisle are mum about the machines and their validity, which only creates more questions in Sharpe’s mind.
The more he pushes, the less sure Jack Sharpe is that the election results in the district are to be believed. Extrapolating the results outside of Ohio, Sharpe soon sees that other anomalies took place in districts across the country, though one would really have to look to find them. With someone in the shadows sitting back and watching, it would appear as though a minute nudge by these various machines could have caused a seismic shift in the political landscape, thereby turning the results in a specific direction. With this knowledge, Jack Sharpe is ready to blow the horn on what he’s found. However, some would rather silence Sharpe and those with whom he is closer than have their interference splashed across the front page. A gripping piece that is poignant in today’s political landscape, providing David Pepper’s abilities.
Many who know me will understand how much I enjoy a good political thriller. David Pepper delivers effectively with a strong story that is bolstered by some key elements for success. The narrative foundation is solid, building on a simple idea and letting things flow from there. The determination, not only of the story but also of the ideas, helps add depth and provides the momentum that is needed to keep things on the edge. With various perspectives over a number of time periods, the true imprint of the deception can be seen by the acute reader. Pepper keeps the reader guessing and flipping pages until the final reveal, where all comes crashing into place.
Key character development also adds something to the story that is essential to its success. Working not only with the likes of Jack Sharpe, but those around him on both sides of the coin, keeps the story moving and the intensity high. As this is the debut novel to the Jack Sharpe series, the protagonist’s presentation is key to the overall intrigue the of the series. Pepper offers up some strong backstory for Jack, while also reading at a great deal more to come. With some great forward movement as well, the story stays strong and the outlook for the next novel has has me eager to reach for it. I wonder who might return and their role in the second book.
Plot points keep the story fresh and moving. Political thrillers are never short on twists and Pepper made sure that this book was no exception. I quite enjoyed how things developed, partially in plain sight and also behind some veils. It is great to see how well things mesh and what there is to come, as Jack Sharpe is surely not going to back down or pack up, now that he has this story in his control. I am ready to delve deeper and see what Jack Sharpe has going on in the second novel.
Kudos, Mr. Pepper, for a gripping debut!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
December 1, 2017
Fiction as real news
Pepper lays out in this compelling work of fiction some basic flaws in our political system. Gerrymandering and the power of special interests, even foreign influence, are brought to light in this intriguing drama. I could not put the book down!
Pepper lays out in this compelling work of fiction some basic flaws in our political system. Gerrymandering and the power of special interests, even foreign influence, are brought to light in this intriguing drama. I could not put the book down!
June 28, 2018
Judy Woodruff of the PBS Newshour talked about this book and it wasn't a book review but a comment on a political thriller about Russians succeeding in tampering with congressional elections. It was written in 2015 but shows how tampering with voting machines is both possible and effective. It's an interesting story, quite plausible, and told by Pepper with a great deal of skill. I learned a lot.
Want to read
March 15, 2018Recommended by Janet.
April 12, 2018
Once upon a time there was a young John Grisham who gave us A Time To Kill. How wonderful to have that feeling back of discovering a fresh new story teller who keeps our attention riveted throughout a "much too believable" current day political thriller.
If you're down to the last quarter of the story, don't make any plans for the rest of the day ... the spiral to the end will leave you breathless.
Washington intrigue covering gerrymandering, sexual harassment, political power climbing, international intrigue ... and good old-fashion murder ... yup, it's all there. Fast-paced and easy to read, this story will confirm your worst fears of Washington / Russian intrigue and corruption! And, best of all, the ending is suburb!
PS: The only down side to the story is the slightly boring section in the beginning, which explains our cumbersome voter machine methodology. Unfortunately, this is dry information but it is also paramount to the backdrop of the story. Once you've slogged thru the "technical" minutia it's clear sailing.
If you're down to the last quarter of the story, don't make any plans for the rest of the day ... the spiral to the end will leave you breathless.
Washington intrigue covering gerrymandering, sexual harassment, political power climbing, international intrigue ... and good old-fashion murder ... yup, it's all there. Fast-paced and easy to read, this story will confirm your worst fears of Washington / Russian intrigue and corruption! And, best of all, the ending is suburb!
PS: The only down side to the story is the slightly boring section in the beginning, which explains our cumbersome voter machine methodology. Unfortunately, this is dry information but it is also paramount to the backdrop of the story. Once you've slogged thru the "technical" minutia it's clear sailing.
September 28, 2017
A book about an election hacked by the Russians that came out before the 2016 election. Impressive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2022
Hmmm... I'm addicted to politics. That's the news I look for every day. I try to dig as deep as possible into the minds of the players. David Pepper's prologue and first chapter seemed almost pedestrian to me. A reporter who started his career by writing obits. Not uncommon. The first scene: an election night victory party. Every election has them. Half are exciting (or full of excited people), but the other half of such parties are filled with disappointment and depressed politicos and campaigners.
However, once I really got into The People's House, I was hooked.
The book has a complex and wonderfully compelling plot that along with great characters (all of them, not just the protagonist) drive a unique but very important story.
Perhaps most importantly, if you haven't thought much about or don't understand Congressional redistricting, you either will or will be driven to learn about it after reading this exceptional book.
However, once I really got into The People's House, I was hooked.
The book has a complex and wonderfully compelling plot that along with great characters (all of them, not just the protagonist) drive a unique but very important story.
Perhaps most importantly, if you haven't thought much about or don't understand Congressional redistricting, you either will or will be driven to learn about it after reading this exceptional book.
February 19, 2018
An excellent read😃
This is by far one of the best political fiction books I've read and reveals the type of political shenanigans and foreign interference currently happening in to our country and to our democracy.
This is by far one of the best political fiction books I've read and reveals the type of political shenanigans and foreign interference currently happening in to our country and to our democracy.
October 6, 2018
I loved this book. The author wrote it before the election. Pretty amazing considering it’s fiction. I’m going to read the second book soon. The author FaceTimed is at book club and we were lucky enough to hear his thoughts on the current state of our country. Thank you, David Pepper.
July 17, 2021
I just heard about this Jack Sharpe series so decided to give it a shot. Pretty darn good.
In The People's House, Jack Sharpe is a journalist for an Ohio newspaper. His friend surprisingly loses reelection for his seat in the House of Representatives and then the friend mysteriously dies in a fiery car crash.
Jack learns that other swing districts had surprising results so he starts digging in. What follows is what you can expect from a political suspense novel: deceit, murders, mystery and more.
The book is a good suspense novel and I will probably read the other two in the series at some point. I give it three starts becausethere are so many good suspense novels out there, this one doesn't by any means stand out from the rest as special. The plot, characters and happenings aren't unique, but it remains entertaining throughout.
In The People's House, Jack Sharpe is a journalist for an Ohio newspaper. His friend surprisingly loses reelection for his seat in the House of Representatives and then the friend mysteriously dies in a fiery car crash.
Jack learns that other swing districts had surprising results so he starts digging in. What follows is what you can expect from a political suspense novel: deceit, murders, mystery and more.
The book is a good suspense novel and I will probably read the other two in the series at some point. I give it three starts becausethere are so many good suspense novels out there, this one doesn't by any means stand out from the rest as special. The plot, characters and happenings aren't unique, but it remains entertaining throughout.
April 24, 2018
I found out about this book when the author was interviewed on PBS about the sequel to this debut novel. This is about as good a thriller as I have ever read. I was engaged throughout the book in the intricacies of the well-constructed plot, and couldn't wait to find out what the protagonist was going to do to get out of his several dilemmas. The author has serious talent as a novelist. He should give up running for office and do this full-time.
The only issue I had with the logic of the plot is that although I agree with the author about the evils of gerrymandering, the Russians didn't actually need gerrymandering to exist to pull off their theft of the election. All they really needed was to plant their illicit voting machines in swing districts.
The only issue I had with the logic of the plot is that although I agree with the author about the evils of gerrymandering, the Russians didn't actually need gerrymandering to exist to pull off their theft of the election. All they really needed was to plant their illicit voting machines in swing districts.
April 27, 2018
First-rate political thriller. This was written in 2016 but is incredibly prescient as to our current political climate and the reality of election interference. Complex plotting, riveting characters and more than a touch of the "Holy crap, did that just happen?" effect, which we are unfortunately seeing in our headlines every day.
May 2, 2018
Excellent read
This is a real-time, gripping story. Who knows, this kind of stuff could really be happening! Well written and introducing a very real and flawed main character. Thoroughly enjoyed this book
This is a real-time, gripping story. Who knows, this kind of stuff could really be happening! Well written and introducing a very real and flawed main character. Thoroughly enjoyed this book
July 14, 2018
This fictional account of Russian tampering in our politics was written prior to 2016!!!! It was shockingly on point and i highly recommend everyone to read it.
June 24, 2017
I have been searching for a way to describe John Pepper's political thriller without resorting to something trite, such as "I couldn't put it down." I can't think of anything better, so hackneyed as it sounds, I couldn't put it down.
May 2, 2018
I enjoyed reading this political thriller.
March 6, 2018
Pepper's first novel maintains a high level of excitement, even as it veers towards-but never quite reaches-formulaic thrillers. I hope he continues to write in this genre.
Without giving away any spoilers, Pepper keeps certain facts from the reader to build suspense. He does not explain some of these facts until the book's epilogue. So throughout the novel, the reader is trying to figure out who did what and why. But Pepper's writing style is so effective, the reader continues on without feeling frustrated.
My biggest gripe with the book is that it tends to be preachy. Pepper, who has spent most of his adult life in local and state politics, tends to get on a soapbox to decry gerrymandering. I agree with every condemnation of gerrymandering he makes, but one of the main points of the book is to demonstrate that gerrymandering is bad because it could lead to election fraud. The book was published before Trump was elected and before we discovered how the Soviets . . . oops, I mean the Russians, manipulated many voters through deceptive stories and memes on social media. The Soviets did this without the benefit of gerrymandering. Hindsight being 20/20, the election fraud scheme at the center of book's plot now seems very exaggerated and unrealistic. Because the
fraud scheme is unrealistic, the evils of gerrymandering that the fraud scheme exploits does not feel so imposing. The end result is that this book might appeal to only fans of political thrillers. But if you like political thrillers, this is the book for you.
Without giving away any spoilers, Pepper keeps certain facts from the reader to build suspense. He does not explain some of these facts until the book's epilogue. So throughout the novel, the reader is trying to figure out who did what and why. But Pepper's writing style is so effective, the reader continues on without feeling frustrated.
My biggest gripe with the book is that it tends to be preachy. Pepper, who has spent most of his adult life in local and state politics, tends to get on a soapbox to decry gerrymandering. I agree with every condemnation of gerrymandering he makes, but one of the main points of the book is to demonstrate that gerrymandering is bad because it could lead to election fraud. The book was published before Trump was elected and before we discovered how the Soviets . . . oops, I mean the Russians, manipulated many voters through deceptive stories and memes on social media. The Soviets did this without the benefit of gerrymandering. Hindsight being 20/20, the election fraud scheme at the center of book's plot now seems very exaggerated and unrealistic. Because the
fraud scheme is unrealistic, the evils of gerrymandering that the fraud scheme exploits does not feel so imposing. The end result is that this book might appeal to only fans of political thrillers. But if you like political thrillers, this is the book for you.
February 1, 2017
A very good political thriller that doesn't strain your credulity.
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I'm now marked as an old man with certainty, since, although the battle is long over (if there was one), I cannot read "impact" for "affect" without wincing. Even worse are the widespread use of "impacted" (exclusive of the dental literature) and, more horrible still, "impactful". I know how the generations before me felt when they encountered the now thoroughly acceptable "hopefully". The author is young enough and open-minded enough for this usage to appear frequently in this novel. I only mention it to warn the elderly.
----------------------
I'm now marked as an old man with certainty, since, although the battle is long over (if there was one), I cannot read "impact" for "affect" without wincing. Even worse are the widespread use of "impacted" (exclusive of the dental literature) and, more horrible still, "impactful". I know how the generations before me felt when they encountered the now thoroughly acceptable "hopefully". The author is young enough and open-minded enough for this usage to appear frequently in this novel. I only mention it to warn the elderly.
March 22, 2018
The vulnerability of electronic voting machines, the gerrymandering of electoral districts, and the relentless cycle of fundraising and campaigning that corrupts the U.S. political process provide a realistic foundation for this political thriller. Throw in some evil Russians and you've got a timely tale. But, for better or worse, the plot doesn't follow the current news cycle too closely. Instead there are murders, kidnappings, and a villain who seems to have stepped out of a Bond movie. Standard suspense and melodrama bolstered by the author's knowledge of the mechanics of real-life politics and journalism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2018
Some key points about The People's House, by David Pepper:
1. The author, David Pepper, is chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party in real life. He knows elections, and politics, in depth.
2. The book is gripping and a page-turner; it's like reading Grisham, except it's about politics instead of law.
3. The book is about a stolen election. Russians are involved. It was written before most of the stuff about the 2016 election came to light.
4. The protagonist is likeable, and you can't help but root for him when things go sideways.
5. The ending is very satisfying.
6. It has a great first sentence.
1. The author, David Pepper, is chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party in real life. He knows elections, and politics, in depth.
2. The book is gripping and a page-turner; it's like reading Grisham, except it's about politics instead of law.
3. The book is about a stolen election. Russians are involved. It was written before most of the stuff about the 2016 election came to light.
4. The protagonist is likeable, and you can't help but root for him when things go sideways.
5. The ending is very satisfying.
6. It has a great first sentence.
January 30, 2017
For the review writer who said to clear your schedule because you won't be able to do anything else but read, you were spot on! If
David Pepper doesn't write another novel I will be very surprised. This book was one of the best political thrillers I've read. Since I live in Ohio, I was comfortable with the story taking place in Youngstown, Ohio. After the first 40 pages the book took off and I was tense for the whole ride! I want another Jack Sharpe book!
David Pepper doesn't write another novel I will be very surprised. This book was one of the best political thrillers I've read. Since I live in Ohio, I was comfortable with the story taking place in Youngstown, Ohio. After the first 40 pages the book took off and I was tense for the whole ride! I want another Jack Sharpe book!
November 7, 2016
Who knew that the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party could write fiction? David Pepper weaves an incredibly credible and highly entertaining yarn about a rigged Congressional election. Any American who likes a thriller and worries about the impact of gerrymandering and the potential for hacking voting machines will enjoy this book. For Ohioans, the locations are a special treat.
November 11, 2016
Need to listen to the version that has Jon Eric Preston narrating. Met him in lax airport at Starbucks.
December 22, 2016
timely.
i read this right before thus 2016 election and for awhile, thought the author was writing about the 2016 election. couldn't put it down.
i read this right before thus 2016 election and for awhile, thought the author was writing about the 2016 election. couldn't put it down.
March 11, 2020
Although technically not historical fiction, David Pepper’s debut novel about the American electoral system was incredibly prescient. As a writer and fan of historical fiction, personally I would have like it to have been more fact-based, especially during this time of global political turmoil.
For example, there are sections that explain certain electronic voting machines standards and practices, but there are no footnotes confirming resources. There are also several references to historical figures, including President Obama, and even the actual name of one of the major voting machine manufacturers, and companies in the fracking industry, but all within an alarming fictional narrative. It’s frustrating to try to figure out what, if any of it, is true.
But that’s what convincing and riveting writing is all about and there’s no shortage of that in The People’s House. The story builds at a steady pace, making the reader feel smarter about the inner workings of the United States government, even from the fascinating perspective of criminal Russian mobsters. But, again, it left me feeling unsure if I was actually smarter.
Anyway, this story starts off with a stellar opening line in the prologue, as another reviewer pointed out, then buzzes along apace. Although I found myself cringing and skimming some of the staid and politically polemical sections, it really gave me a visual on how things must go down in DC.
Making the series title character Jack Sharpe a journalist instead of a politician was masterful. Who doesn't love newsroom lingo peppered into political jargon? The author also does a wonderful job of evolving Sharpe, who runs the gauntlet and comes out a changed man. However, there’s an implied spoiler as you read about the murderous thugs bearing down on him knowing it’s the first in a series.
Overall, it’s all very plausible, with the exception of one of the US Senator’s staffer’s profuse social media posting to Facebook about her personal life, which is frowned upon by public officeholders, as far as I know. Also, the women compromising themselves for upward mobility gave me pause. It’s hard to believe that would be the norm rather than the exception.
However, Pepper ties all the loose ends together with an incredible resolution, not forgetting to end with a hint of a cliffhanger leaving the reader wanting to know Sharpe’s next big scoop!
For example, there are sections that explain certain electronic voting machines standards and practices, but there are no footnotes confirming resources. There are also several references to historical figures, including President Obama, and even the actual name of one of the major voting machine manufacturers, and companies in the fracking industry, but all within an alarming fictional narrative. It’s frustrating to try to figure out what, if any of it, is true.
But that’s what convincing and riveting writing is all about and there’s no shortage of that in The People’s House. The story builds at a steady pace, making the reader feel smarter about the inner workings of the United States government, even from the fascinating perspective of criminal Russian mobsters. But, again, it left me feeling unsure if I was actually smarter.
Anyway, this story starts off with a stellar opening line in the prologue, as another reviewer pointed out, then buzzes along apace. Although I found myself cringing and skimming some of the staid and politically polemical sections, it really gave me a visual on how things must go down in DC.
Making the series title character Jack Sharpe a journalist instead of a politician was masterful. Who doesn't love newsroom lingo peppered into political jargon? The author also does a wonderful job of evolving Sharpe, who runs the gauntlet and comes out a changed man. However, there’s an implied spoiler as you read about the murderous thugs bearing down on him knowing it’s the first in a series.
Overall, it’s all very plausible, with the exception of one of the US Senator’s staffer’s profuse social media posting to Facebook about her personal life, which is frowned upon by public officeholders, as far as I know. Also, the women compromising themselves for upward mobility gave me pause. It’s hard to believe that would be the norm rather than the exception.
However, Pepper ties all the loose ends together with an incredible resolution, not forgetting to end with a hint of a cliffhanger leaving the reader wanting to know Sharpe’s next big scoop!
February 22, 2018
This novel is an intense, and intensely rewarding, political thriller written by an American politician. When I read the introduction, I saw, with some misgiving, that the author purposely set out to write a novel with a message. But that misgiving was dispelled by chapter two of the novel, and replaced itself with the tingle of excitement as I realized I had a real page turner in my hands that was going to teach me about a part of American life I know next to nothing about. I settled back to read about true-to-life murder, sexual harassment, Russian and American thugs, and honest people who, unfortunately, often don't speak up until after the consequences of their silence have brought them more guilt than they can continue to carry. The plot, and how the corruption is uncovered, resonate more today than they would have done before we learned so much about Russian meddling in the last U.S. presidential election. Pepper uses his knowledge of the American voting system to show how it can be sabotaged, at a fairly low cost, by any large corporation, never mind large country, wishing to get unwitting (but strongly partisan) politicians elected to serve its cause. In his warts and all depiction of his journalist hero, Jack Sharpe, Pepper also shows us the challenges of working on a local American newspaper, and the power wielded by a journalist and his editors determined to protect democracy. With regard to gerrymandering, U.S. political parties who never want their politicians to even risk losing an election, have created a situation where a foreign entity doesn't need to concentrate its resources on even 50 percent of the States, or even 50 percent of the counties in a State, to ensure itself a favorable outcome, but I don't wish to spoil the enjoyment you'll get out of reading this book, which has an ending that would have delighted Machiavelli, so I'll end my review here.
July 5, 2020
I have been reading a lot of favorable reviews of David Pepper's newest book: "The Voter Files."
When I researched "The Voter Files" I realized that it was the third book of a trilogy that began with "The People's House." Since this book was part of the Kindle Unlimited program I decided to start here.
The book has an interesting premise of a large and secretive corporation suddenly getting into the voter machine business and then manipulating the results of an election. Certainly a contemporary topic. But then the author, David Pepper, starts skipping all over the timeline. 30-days after the election, 120 days before the election, 95-days after the election, etc. After a while, I wasn't completely sure where I was or how the pieces were fitting together. I also thought I detected some mistakes in the references.
Finally, the ending is far from satisfactory with the protagonist offering a self-serving justification that sounds phony and justifying just plain sloppy journalism.
Another problem is that the author, David Pepper, is an official with the Democratic Party for the state of Ohio. So, needless to say, the Republicans are the bad guys and the Democrats are the good guys.
I will probably read the next two books of the series. I just hope his writing style improves.
When I researched "The Voter Files" I realized that it was the third book of a trilogy that began with "The People's House." Since this book was part of the Kindle Unlimited program I decided to start here.
The book has an interesting premise of a large and secretive corporation suddenly getting into the voter machine business and then manipulating the results of an election. Certainly a contemporary topic. But then the author, David Pepper, starts skipping all over the timeline. 30-days after the election, 120 days before the election, 95-days after the election, etc. After a while, I wasn't completely sure where I was or how the pieces were fitting together. I also thought I detected some mistakes in the references.
Finally, the ending is far from satisfactory with the protagonist offering a self-serving justification that sounds phony and justifying just plain sloppy journalism.
Another problem is that the author, David Pepper, is an official with the Democratic Party for the state of Ohio. So, needless to say, the Republicans are the bad guys and the Democrats are the good guys.
I will probably read the next two books of the series. I just hope his writing style improves.
December 23, 2022
I've had this book on my "To Read" list for about five years now. It was promoted as a first rate thriller with a prescient edge, since it deals with a Russian plot to skew American elections, and came out as the various Trump World shenanigans began to come to light. The cover is littered with quotes from reviewers and political big-wigs trumpeting this fact.
In reality, calling this predictive is like me saying I can predict the lottery numbers because I think that numbers will appear on the balls. Yes, there's a Russian plot in an American election, but while our real world situation involved preying on the public's worst habits and fears to help a geopolitical shift in perception, the fiction involved one company using technology to actively change votes and get filthy rich(er).
It's really a sideshow that distracts from a solid thriller, with propulsive action over the last hundred pages, encouraging the reader to follow the risks and rewards of pursuing the truth against powerful people. Pepper writes with great rhythm and energy, and it's fun to follow.
The first hundred pages betray an author experimenting with form, the jumping between time lines and settings takes a deft hand, and one that Pepper wasn't showing here. It was a struggle to get in, but a reward to keep going.
In reality, calling this predictive is like me saying I can predict the lottery numbers because I think that numbers will appear on the balls. Yes, there's a Russian plot in an American election, but while our real world situation involved preying on the public's worst habits and fears to help a geopolitical shift in perception, the fiction involved one company using technology to actively change votes and get filthy rich(er).
It's really a sideshow that distracts from a solid thriller, with propulsive action over the last hundred pages, encouraging the reader to follow the risks and rewards of pursuing the truth against powerful people. Pepper writes with great rhythm and energy, and it's fun to follow.
The first hundred pages betray an author experimenting with form, the jumping between time lines and settings takes a deft hand, and one that Pepper wasn't showing here. It was a struggle to get in, but a reward to keep going.
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