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Peter Rena #2
The Good Lie
An intelligent and propulsive international political thriller in which political fixer Peter Rena is hired by the president to investigate the bombing of an American military base overseas
When a shadowy American diplomatic complex is attacked in North Africa, the White House is besieged by accusations of incompetence and wild conspiracy theories. Eager to learn the truth, the president and his staff turn to Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks. The investigators dive headfirst into the furtive world of foreign intelligence and national security, hoping to do it quietly. That becomes impossible, though, when it blows up into an all-out public scandal: Congress opens hearings and a tireless national security reporter publishes a bombshell exposé.
Now, Rena and Brooks are caught in the middle. The White House wants to prevent debilitating fallout for the president, the military appears to be in shutdown mode, the press is hungry for another big story, and rival politicians are plotting their next move. Rena learns the hard way that secrets in Washington come with a very high price.
With intelligence, style, and a breakneck pace, The Good Lie explores the contours of secrets, lies, and the dangers of a never-ending war.
Praise for Shining City:
“One of the smartest thrillers in recent memory.” —Dallas Morning News
“A debut that will be remembered for years.” —Michael Connelly
“Skillful and memorable.” —Wall Street Journal
When a shadowy American diplomatic complex is attacked in North Africa, the White House is besieged by accusations of incompetence and wild conspiracy theories. Eager to learn the truth, the president and his staff turn to Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks. The investigators dive headfirst into the furtive world of foreign intelligence and national security, hoping to do it quietly. That becomes impossible, though, when it blows up into an all-out public scandal: Congress opens hearings and a tireless national security reporter publishes a bombshell exposé.
Now, Rena and Brooks are caught in the middle. The White House wants to prevent debilitating fallout for the president, the military appears to be in shutdown mode, the press is hungry for another big story, and rival politicians are plotting their next move. Rena learns the hard way that secrets in Washington come with a very high price.
With intelligence, style, and a breakneck pace, The Good Lie explores the contours of secrets, lies, and the dangers of a never-ending war.
Praise for Shining City:
“One of the smartest thrillers in recent memory.” —Dallas Morning News
“A debut that will be remembered for years.” —Michael Connelly
“Skillful and memorable.” —Wall Street Journal
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2019
157 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 4, 2023
Tom Rosenstiel presents another poignant political novel set in the fast-pace of electrifying Washington, D.C. This is just the kind of book I enjoy during a reading binge and hope the series continues to impress me. Filled with a number of strong themes and well-paced dialogue, Rosenstiel has all the elements of a masterful political thriller that has me turning pages well into the night.
The world is aghast when an American diplomatic complex comes under attack on the African continent, in an area known for terrorist activity. The US president and his close advisors are shocked, hoping to turn the tables on the accusations that the Administration bumbled things and left this outpost vulnerable. The obvious choice for an investigation is Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks. As Rena and Brooks began peeling back the layers of this hot potato, they discover that the orders they have to work covertly will be harder to accomplish than first they presumed. Congress gets wind of the investigation and soon a congressional committee is struck and hearings begin, fuelled by an exposé by a diligent reporter.
Rena and Brooks find themselves in the middle of it all, with a presidental election around the corner. The White House is in panic mode, the military is trying to distance itself from the fallout, and reporters are demanding answers. Congress has new and powerful individuals looking to cut their teeth on flexing muscles, as the political pressure mounts and targets are drawn.
The code of secrecy in Washington has a time limit, something that Rena and Brooks are coming to discover. As they try to get to the truth, they must dodge the land mines that could propel someone into the presidential role before the ballots are cast, thereby politicizing their investigation in ways they had hoped to avoid. Washington is rife for change and seeks heads to put on pikes, but no one is quite sure who or what they may be just yet. Rosenstiel does a sensational job at putting her reader into the middle of thins in another great novel.
Having only recently rediscovered Tom Rosenstiel, I was not sure how I might feel, though the first two novels in the series have me completely enthralled. The political foundation, with strong legislative themes, is just the kind of piece I enjoy and Rosenstiel presents things in such a way that the reader cannot help but seek more. Rosenstiel uses wonderfully founded characters, helping to explain the political and national security processes with ease, as well as how scandalous one mistake can be for many people. Peter Rena and Randi Brooks establish themselves throughout the story, developing in tandem and together equally. Many political heavyweights grace the pages of the book and are sure to shine again, as the time for a presidential election nears, which is sure to create some havoc as the series progresses. While the characters develop, the plot lines keep the reader engaged and build with ease, providing some stellar twists at just the right moments. Things once again take on a life of their own throughout the narrative leaving a stunning conclusion to tie it all together.
Kudos, Mr. Rosenstiel, for this second book. I am eager to see what’s to come and how you will make it all resonate for series fans.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
The world is aghast when an American diplomatic complex comes under attack on the African continent, in an area known for terrorist activity. The US president and his close advisors are shocked, hoping to turn the tables on the accusations that the Administration bumbled things and left this outpost vulnerable. The obvious choice for an investigation is Peter Rena and his partner, Randi Brooks. As Rena and Brooks began peeling back the layers of this hot potato, they discover that the orders they have to work covertly will be harder to accomplish than first they presumed. Congress gets wind of the investigation and soon a congressional committee is struck and hearings begin, fuelled by an exposé by a diligent reporter.
Rena and Brooks find themselves in the middle of it all, with a presidental election around the corner. The White House is in panic mode, the military is trying to distance itself from the fallout, and reporters are demanding answers. Congress has new and powerful individuals looking to cut their teeth on flexing muscles, as the political pressure mounts and targets are drawn.
The code of secrecy in Washington has a time limit, something that Rena and Brooks are coming to discover. As they try to get to the truth, they must dodge the land mines that could propel someone into the presidential role before the ballots are cast, thereby politicizing their investigation in ways they had hoped to avoid. Washington is rife for change and seeks heads to put on pikes, but no one is quite sure who or what they may be just yet. Rosenstiel does a sensational job at putting her reader into the middle of thins in another great novel.
Having only recently rediscovered Tom Rosenstiel, I was not sure how I might feel, though the first two novels in the series have me completely enthralled. The political foundation, with strong legislative themes, is just the kind of piece I enjoy and Rosenstiel presents things in such a way that the reader cannot help but seek more. Rosenstiel uses wonderfully founded characters, helping to explain the political and national security processes with ease, as well as how scandalous one mistake can be for many people. Peter Rena and Randi Brooks establish themselves throughout the story, developing in tandem and together equally. Many political heavyweights grace the pages of the book and are sure to shine again, as the time for a presidential election nears, which is sure to create some havoc as the series progresses. While the characters develop, the plot lines keep the reader engaged and build with ease, providing some stellar twists at just the right moments. Things once again take on a life of their own throughout the narrative leaving a stunning conclusion to tie it all together.
Kudos, Mr. Rosenstiel, for this second book. I am eager to see what’s to come and how you will make it all resonate for series fans.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com
March 10, 2019
This is for those who watch CNN or Fox 24 hours a day. It is all political intrigue with extensive background explaining the background of everything. If you are into investigations with partisanship intermingled with lectures about why partisanship is bad, this is the book for you. After more than 200 pages of nothing but that, I gave up. Done with lectures. Done with more of the same page after page
February 20, 2019
Highly entertaining and enjoyable read. I found myself reading late into the night trying to unravel the mystery that Rosenstiel’s “fixers” were coming to grips with. Page after page you get detail after detail so that you feel like you are the proverbial fly on the wall and you are capturing everything there is to see. Despite such detail Rosenstiel does a good job of keeping the complete picture hidden until the very end.
March 15, 2019
A vicious attack on an American diplomatic complex in North Africa leaves the White House facing accusations of incompetence. President James Nash, in search of the truth about the attack, turns to Peter Rena and Randi Brooks. The two investigators soon find themselves involved in extensive national security and surreptitious foreign intelligence. However, a reporter publishes a bombshell exposé and Congress convenes hearings on the matter, dashing their hopes of a quiet investigation.
With the White House frantic to keep the president from the fallout and the military seemingly withdrawn, reporters are hot on the trail of a big story while plotting politicians scurry around. But in Washington secrets are everywhere and the truth is nothing if not complicated. Can Peter and Rena untangle the political web of lies and find the answers they seek?
The second in the Peter Rena series, this political thriller puts readers in the midst of Washington machinations while it keeps the suspense building with unexpected plot twists and reveals. With its well-drawn characters and rich setting, readers will find it difficult to set this fast-moving tale aside before turning the final page.
Recommended.
With the White House frantic to keep the president from the fallout and the military seemingly withdrawn, reporters are hot on the trail of a big story while plotting politicians scurry around. But in Washington secrets are everywhere and the truth is nothing if not complicated. Can Peter and Rena untangle the political web of lies and find the answers they seek?
The second in the Peter Rena series, this political thriller puts readers in the midst of Washington machinations while it keeps the suspense building with unexpected plot twists and reveals. With its well-drawn characters and rich setting, readers will find it difficult to set this fast-moving tale aside before turning the final page.
Recommended.
December 31, 2019
This whole story from the get-go reminded me way too much of the Benghazi story and I almost quit on it then, not desiring to rehash that whole political junk. I decided to continue, but still, it was too similar to the Benghazi story and all the politicization that still seems to seep out from that situation. Regardless, it was a reinforcement of how political our whole government has become and how so much is really not about finding the truth of matters but just making "the other side" look bad. A good time waster but probably not anything I would read again or recommend as I have no desire to read any of the others in the series. Even as political thrillers go, I wouldn't put this one in that category. The writing seemed to lose me at times, perhaps it was disinterestedness, but none of the characters seemed to engage me, and the only storyline that seemed to have any interest was only talked about in the very beginning and then not to be mentioned again until the very end of the book. Only recommended if you are just a political, and political conspiracy, junkie.
December 28, 2021
Finding the truth behind a smokescreen of lies in Washington DC isn’t just a challenge for crack investigator Peter Rena. It’s downright dangerous. But when the President of the United States asks you to take on a job, you don’t say no, no matter what your misgivings. And this time those misgivings rise quickly to the surface. Islamic terrorists have attacked and overrun a US outpost in North Africa, killing an American general. No one admits to knowing he had been there, or why—including the president and his national security advisor—and those who do know aren’t telling. In the midst of rushed investigations undertaken by the Department of Defense, the CIA, the FBI, the “Washington Tribune,” and Congress, the firm of Brooks, Rena & Toppin must somehow get to the truth before anyone else. The stakes couldn’t be higher in this Washington political thriller.
THE BACKSTORY
Peter Rena is the protagonist of what are to date four novels in a series of political thrillers by veteran Washington journalist Tom Rosenstiel. Rena had served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a military policeman in the Special Forces. His brilliant military career came to a sudden end when he attempted to investigate a sexual assault charge against a powerful three-star general. Back in Washington, a prominent US Senator from Michigan took him under his wing and put him to work on his staff.
After a time, the senator connected him with a pair of other Washington investigators and helped them launch a firm of their own. Now, Rena leads Brooks, Rena & Toppin with his partner, Randi Brooks. Almost uniquely in the capital among consultants to the political class, they operate across party lines. Rena is a moderate Republican, Brooks an outspoken liberal Democrat. Their stellar reputation has led the incumbent Democratic president, James Nash, to hire them to take on their most explosive assignment to date in The Good Lie.
A DAUNTING CHALLENGE FRAUGHT WITH DANGER
The challenge Rena and Brooks have taken up is intimidating. President Nash seems not to trust anyone involved in national security except Diane Howell, his National Security Advisor. Neither of them has an inkling of what went wrong in Oosay in the North African Republic of Morat, where Brigadier General Brian Roderick died. Someone among the other principals must know what took place. But he or they aren’t telling James Nash. Not the president’s Chief of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the CIA, the Director of National Intelligence, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Someone, maybe several of them, are stonewalling him.
Somehow, Rena and Brooks and their resourceful team must work around the edges of the national security establishment to ferret out the facts that someone is taking great pains to hide. Their investigation will take them into the most deeply hidden recesses of the nation’s intelligence community. We know, of course, that they’ll eventually succeed (since this is a novel, after all), but along the way they will face great danger. And, in the midst of the action, Rena attempts to navigate a cross-continental relationship with Victoria Madison, daughter of the Supreme Court Justice Rena and Brooks had helped steer through his confirmation in a previous novel.
INSIGHT INTO TODAY’S FRAUGHT NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE
Tom Rosenstiel is one of the most incisive observers of politics inside the Beltway, but his long life there has jaded him. From a passionately nonpartisan perspective, he casts blame equally on both parties, whereas one so clearly bears most of the responsibility. Here, for instance, he analyzes the scene in the words of his character, President James Nash. “Our politics has become cannibalistic. We are so divided as a country, each party now engages in tactics that are slowly dismantling the system of government in which they serve.
“Once a party has power in Congress, it throws out the old rules to get what it wants because the other side won’t cooperate and the parties won’t compromise to get them to do so. When power changes hands again, there is no peace, only revenge, more rules tossed out. Once all the rules are gone, there will be nothing left to stop the devil. We are destroying our government from within.”
I don’t share that jaundiced perspective. But I do agree with another that Rosenstiel offers up in the words of his character, James Nash. “People today seem to think they will find freedom in their own selfishness and own separateness. We have a whole new digital economy built on it. They’re wrong. We find freedom in tolerance and common purpose. that’s what is at stake here.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Rosenstiel has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years, spending extended periods at the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek and later as executive director of the American Press Institute. He is the cofounder of the Committee of Concerned Journalists. He’s a graduate of Oberlin College and the Columbia School of Journalism. To date, he has written four books in the Peter Rena series.
THE BACKSTORY
Peter Rena is the protagonist of what are to date four novels in a series of political thrillers by veteran Washington journalist Tom Rosenstiel. Rena had served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a military policeman in the Special Forces. His brilliant military career came to a sudden end when he attempted to investigate a sexual assault charge against a powerful three-star general. Back in Washington, a prominent US Senator from Michigan took him under his wing and put him to work on his staff.
After a time, the senator connected him with a pair of other Washington investigators and helped them launch a firm of their own. Now, Rena leads Brooks, Rena & Toppin with his partner, Randi Brooks. Almost uniquely in the capital among consultants to the political class, they operate across party lines. Rena is a moderate Republican, Brooks an outspoken liberal Democrat. Their stellar reputation has led the incumbent Democratic president, James Nash, to hire them to take on their most explosive assignment to date in The Good Lie.
A DAUNTING CHALLENGE FRAUGHT WITH DANGER
The challenge Rena and Brooks have taken up is intimidating. President Nash seems not to trust anyone involved in national security except Diane Howell, his National Security Advisor. Neither of them has an inkling of what went wrong in Oosay in the North African Republic of Morat, where Brigadier General Brian Roderick died. Someone among the other principals must know what took place. But he or they aren’t telling James Nash. Not the president’s Chief of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the CIA, the Director of National Intelligence, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Someone, maybe several of them, are stonewalling him.
Somehow, Rena and Brooks and their resourceful team must work around the edges of the national security establishment to ferret out the facts that someone is taking great pains to hide. Their investigation will take them into the most deeply hidden recesses of the nation’s intelligence community. We know, of course, that they’ll eventually succeed (since this is a novel, after all), but along the way they will face great danger. And, in the midst of the action, Rena attempts to navigate a cross-continental relationship with Victoria Madison, daughter of the Supreme Court Justice Rena and Brooks had helped steer through his confirmation in a previous novel.
INSIGHT INTO TODAY’S FRAUGHT NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE
Tom Rosenstiel is one of the most incisive observers of politics inside the Beltway, but his long life there has jaded him. From a passionately nonpartisan perspective, he casts blame equally on both parties, whereas one so clearly bears most of the responsibility. Here, for instance, he analyzes the scene in the words of his character, President James Nash. “Our politics has become cannibalistic. We are so divided as a country, each party now engages in tactics that are slowly dismantling the system of government in which they serve.
“Once a party has power in Congress, it throws out the old rules to get what it wants because the other side won’t cooperate and the parties won’t compromise to get them to do so. When power changes hands again, there is no peace, only revenge, more rules tossed out. Once all the rules are gone, there will be nothing left to stop the devil. We are destroying our government from within.”
I don’t share that jaundiced perspective. But I do agree with another that Rosenstiel offers up in the words of his character, James Nash. “People today seem to think they will find freedom in their own selfishness and own separateness. We have a whole new digital economy built on it. They’re wrong. We find freedom in tolerance and common purpose. that’s what is at stake here.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Rosenstiel has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years, spending extended periods at the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek and later as executive director of the American Press Institute. He is the cofounder of the Committee of Concerned Journalists. He’s a graduate of Oberlin College and the Columbia School of Journalism. To date, he has written four books in the Peter Rena series.
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October 9, 2024DNF @ 15%, 1.5h in, chapter 8. Not interested in political drama, this was so boring already.
January 13, 2026
I didn’t enjoy this book that much. It was interesting and intriguing at times but not all the time. It was a bit too political and with a Government coverup on the cards
May 31, 2025
Good book if you like political intrigue however did find it a bit slow in the middle
August 7, 2022
I received this book from the author (and likely the fine folks at Bookfunnel.com) in return for an honest review.
As I have pontificated on easily over a hundred plus books in the last few years, your email gets on a few email lists and you get notifications of new books and authors (some solicited and some very much unsolicited). Sometimes the selection of new authors to read is very much "racoon principle" (pooh, pretty cover, shiny)....lol.
That said, I am honestly ecstatic that I chose Tom Rosenstiel's "The Good Lie",as I found the book to be a page-turning political thriller that would be enjoyed by those afficiendo of behind-the-scenes political action novels.
The story starts off in the country of Morat, where a "populist" uprising takes place outside an American diplomatic outpost which results in the death of an American general and the majority of his security team.
This action results in a joint investigation by members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. An investigation is also launched by Peter Rena at al, as they are brought in on behalf of the President of the United States' independent counsel, as both parties race against time and the media to find the truth (and maybe score political favour on behalf of select members of the former for the upcoming presidential elections).
As far as reviews go, I would give this book a solid five stars out of five.
As with all my reviews, this is just my five cents worth.
As I have pontificated on easily over a hundred plus books in the last few years, your email gets on a few email lists and you get notifications of new books and authors (some solicited and some very much unsolicited). Sometimes the selection of new authors to read is very much "racoon principle" (pooh, pretty cover, shiny)....lol.
That said, I am honestly ecstatic that I chose Tom Rosenstiel's "The Good Lie",as I found the book to be a page-turning political thriller that would be enjoyed by those afficiendo of behind-the-scenes political action novels.
The story starts off in the country of Morat, where a "populist" uprising takes place outside an American diplomatic outpost which results in the death of an American general and the majority of his security team.
This action results in a joint investigation by members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. An investigation is also launched by Peter Rena at al, as they are brought in on behalf of the President of the United States' independent counsel, as both parties race against time and the media to find the truth (and maybe score political favour on behalf of select members of the former for the upcoming presidential elections).
As far as reviews go, I would give this book a solid five stars out of five.
As with all my reviews, this is just my five cents worth.
May 24, 2019
Imagine if there really were a Benghazi conspiracy. That's the premise of this book. Unfortunately, the story never really picks up steam (the conclusion is not much more satisfying than the Benghazi investigations), and the writing throughout is underwhelming. That might be okay if the book at least lived up to its billing as a political thriller. It doesn't. The politics is way off, absolutely tone deaf. It might have been great in 2005. But it doesn't ring true even for 2014, let alone for a book published in 2019. The Republicans in particular are unrecognizable, like Democrats-lite, as is some of the media. I liked the first book in the series; parts of it felt authentic. Rosenstiel tries again here, often modeling his characters on real people, throwing in occasional political inside baseball, and satirizing Facebook and Twitter (bizarrely renamed "Little Bird"—if the Wall Street Journal can be the Wall Street Journal, why must Twitter be "Little Bird"?). But the politics feels like it's out of a fantasy, or is written by a clueless author. Can't recommend.
February 5, 2020
This was a very good book about political intrigue, at a level that would make LeCarre proud. It's the second book of the series--the first is about a supreme court nomination, the second about some US military personnel getting themselves killed in an African country no one knew they were in. The author explains a lot about how the various mechanics of power work, how deals are made, and what are the underlying causes of scandals. You can think of our protagonist, Peter Rena, as a fixer. But there's still action, people get killed, and Peter and his partner's lives might be in danger. And the ending is awesome!
The writing keeps the pace moving, but, again like LeCarre, borders on almost literary at times. And you could easily read the two books in either order, the stories aren't connected.
I've enjoyed old-time political thrillers, such as Seven Days in May, or Fail-Safe. This had the same epic feel to it, but updated to an age of extreme partisanship and feverish levels of party loyalty. So the issues felt real, and hard to navigate for our hero. Highly recommended!
The writing keeps the pace moving, but, again like LeCarre, borders on almost literary at times. And you could easily read the two books in either order, the stories aren't connected.
I've enjoyed old-time political thrillers, such as Seven Days in May, or Fail-Safe. This had the same epic feel to it, but updated to an age of extreme partisanship and feverish levels of party loyalty. So the issues felt real, and hard to navigate for our hero. Highly recommended!
March 26, 2022
At first I thought this would be just another action thriller, almost put it down. But once through all the setups and introductions, it began to transform into a well-planned and executed political intrigue. It unfortunately echoed too much of the dysfunction going on in our government today, but with a twist, as our political detective-heroes follow their investigation, and find surprising facts. The mystery centers upon the attack of an official American compound in a small African country, and what really did or did not happen. But the hysterical political posturing and blame tossed about by government officials is also an integral part of the tale, which became more engrossing as I read on.
May 7, 2022
*3.5 Stars. This book would make a great movie, but one of the things that would make it a better movie is all the characters. In a movie version of this story, you would have a room full of people and just have to know that the people are just political officials, but when you write this scene in a book, you have to say the names of all the people and describe the room and everything. This made the book seem to drag in places. I'm not really sure how to correct this, but it just made it less interesting at those moments. I also think this was just too plot focused for me, but I enjoyed the overall storyline and the twists were nice.
January 4, 2025
This is a well-done thriller about a terrorist attack on a US compound in North Africa with a strange twist. An American brigadier general is killed, and our two protagonists, Peter Rana and Randy Brooks, are hired by the president to find out what happened (he apparently doesn’t trust his own staff). Rosenstiel provides a more realistic portrayal of intelligence activities than do many better-known authors. This appears to be a sequel and I want to read his earlier books with the same characters.
October 22, 2019
I liked it better than the first Peter Rena book by Rosenstiel (Shining City). This one had more political storylines along with the investigation of a possible terrorist attack overseas (think Benghazi). There are private investigations, intelligence agencies, Congressional hearings, legislative backroom deals, and everyone has their own agenda. Reminded me of a more plausible episode of Scandal, but without all the romantic triangles.
December 22, 2019
It’s a look at today’s politics
I liked the first book better. This one gives us today’s politics on steroids and the continual recaps of who they are and past history is time consuming and not needed. If you tell me once that’s enough. While I like a good mystery this one is bogged down with too much political crap no matter what side your on. I can watch CNN or FOX everyday and get it. Please get back to writing mystery and not political bias.
I liked the first book better. This one gives us today’s politics on steroids and the continual recaps of who they are and past history is time consuming and not needed. If you tell me once that’s enough. While I like a good mystery this one is bogged down with too much political crap no matter what side your on. I can watch CNN or FOX everyday and get it. Please get back to writing mystery and not political bias.
February 28, 2019
Great read! Rosenstiel really takes you inside the beltway and gives you a sense of what people in Washington are thinking. And the scenes with the reporters are so interesting---Rosenstiel's experience as a reporter definitely comes through.
August 21, 2020
Great follow up to Shining City. This one delves into the intelligence world via an assignment given to Rena and Brooks by POTUS. Again, first rate writing thoroughly researched. Why can’t more authors write like Rosenstiel?
January 20, 2025
Accidentally started with the 2nd book of this series after accidentally getting The Good Lie by a different author than I had meant to. However, I really enjoyed this one. It was a political thriller with a fixer team Rena and Brooks. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
May 25, 2025
Didn’t finish this one. I tried and made it to page 50ish before deciding it was not for me. I have recently read several political thrillers and really enjoyed them but the direction and insane number of characters and personalities was just too much for me to keep up with.
June 10, 2025
A little disappointing after the first one in the series. The writing is good, and the knowledge of Washington seems deep; and I'm sure that the story is more realistic than most. But it's slow and not enough actually happens to really make for a good book.
March 9, 2019
The second in the series. This book is extremely well written and an enjoyable read if you like political gamesmanship.
April 12, 2019
Good work, Tom!
April 13, 2019
Not bad, kept me interested, even though it got slow in the middle.
April 16, 2019
Great writing once again from Tom Rosenstiel. Captivating plotline, great character development, very good reading.
May 11, 2019
It's interesting to have a look into how Washington DC might work. What is fiction and what is fact? Rena's team is a good one.
June 7, 2019
Good plot with lots of intrigue !
December 23, 2019
If you like Washington intrigue, don't miss this author. Veiled look at politicians and current events.
Currently reading
February 18, 2020I love politics and I love a well written spy novel. This gave me both. It had me from start to finish
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews