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Banquo's Ghosts
After learning that an Iranian scientist is in the process of developing nuclear weapons on Iranian soil, all-but-forgotten Spymaster Stewart Banquo initiates a rogue special operation. With the assistance of his most trusted agent, Robert Wallets, Banquo recruits Peter Johnson, a dissolute, morally bankrupt liberal news journalist, to travel to Iran. Johnson poses as a sympathetic reporter writing a piece on the country’s nuclear facilities. His mission: to kill the scientist. Like many elaborate plans, Johnson’s assassination attempt fails. The journalist falls into Iranian hands and is tortured to confess—a staggering security crisis for the United States. Aided by Wallets and the battle-hardened Marjorie Morningstar—the CIA operatives who trained him—Johnson escapes from Iran.
Now back in the United States, Johnson helps Banquo and his CIA cohorts lead a team of federal agents and New York City officials in tracking down a group of suspected Iranian terrorists in New York who are planning to commit nuclear terrorism by dispersing a highly radioactive material throughout the city streets and subways. When Johnson’s only daughter is kidnapped by the Iranians, he and Banquo must race against time to save her...and the City of New York.
Now back in the United States, Johnson helps Banquo and his CIA cohorts lead a team of federal agents and New York City officials in tracking down a group of suspected Iranian terrorists in New York who are planning to commit nuclear terrorism by dispersing a highly radioactive material throughout the city streets and subways. When Johnson’s only daughter is kidnapped by the Iranians, he and Banquo must race against time to save her...and the City of New York.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2009
5 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Rich Lowry
9 books20 followersRichard A. "Rich" Lowry (born 1968) is the editor of National Review, the conservative American magazine of news and opinion. He is a syndicated columnist and political commentator.
Lowry's latest book is the polemical biography Lincoln Unbound, [1] which was published in June 2013.
A native of Arlington, Virginia, Lowry attended the University of Virginia where he majored in English and history. After graduating, he worked for Charles Krauthammer as a research assistant. He joined William F. Buckley's National Review in 1992, after tying for second place in the magazine's Young Writer's Contest. He was named editor of the magazine in 1997.
He regularly appears on the Fox News Channel. He has guest-hosted on Hannity and is a frequent guest panelist on The McLaughlin Group, Fox News Watch, and NBC's Meet the Press.
In addition to his syndicated column with King Features, Lowry is an opinion columnist for Politico. He has also contributed essays to Time.
His New York Times best-selling book, Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years is a polemic about President Bill Clinton, whom he deprecates as "Navel-Gazer-in-Chief."
In 2009, Lowry and Keith Korman wrote Banquo's Ghosts, a political thriller. The plot revolves around a nuclear-armed Iran and an inebriated leftist journalist.
Lowry frequently speaks on the topics of American exceptionalism and the future of the Republican Party.
adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Lowry
Lowry's latest book is the polemical biography Lincoln Unbound, [1] which was published in June 2013.
A native of Arlington, Virginia, Lowry attended the University of Virginia where he majored in English and history. After graduating, he worked for Charles Krauthammer as a research assistant. He joined William F. Buckley's National Review in 1992, after tying for second place in the magazine's Young Writer's Contest. He was named editor of the magazine in 1997.
He regularly appears on the Fox News Channel. He has guest-hosted on Hannity and is a frequent guest panelist on The McLaughlin Group, Fox News Watch, and NBC's Meet the Press.
In addition to his syndicated column with King Features, Lowry is an opinion columnist for Politico. He has also contributed essays to Time.
His New York Times best-selling book, Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years is a polemic about President Bill Clinton, whom he deprecates as "Navel-Gazer-in-Chief."
In 2009, Lowry and Keith Korman wrote Banquo's Ghosts, a political thriller. The plot revolves around a nuclear-armed Iran and an inebriated leftist journalist.
Lowry frequently speaks on the topics of American exceptionalism and the future of the Republican Party.
adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Lowry
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 23, 2009
This book is an interesting political thriller espionage novel about a seemingly plausible scenario as to how a nation could use nuclear material to kill Americans. It has a couple of problems in that it seems to be about Peter Johnson at the beginning.
Peter Johnson is a lush, a writer and a raving lefty who writes for his ex -wife the publisher of the Crusader, a leading left wing magazine. He has also been recruited by Banquo and his right hand man Wallets, a semi attached CIA spook who works out of New York. Johnson is trained and sent to Iran to kill an Iranian nuclear physicist.
Ultimately, the action shifts to New York and their are interagency tiffs, DOJ investigations. Peter Johnson is there but relegated to the background. He really isnt the star of the novel and unlike a good Silva novel, this is not about a one man operation but the calculated means that an intelligence plan can try to succeed.
Lowery, who is a regular on the FOX News channel, takes frequent pot shots at the left throughout the book, casting the Mayor of New York as spineless, and of course the whole details of the left wing newspaper are part of the plot but overdone. These right wingish sections of the novel do not get in the way of the novel, but also do not make it better, and they get tiring.
I think its a good novel, not exceptional. Its not a super thriller but its not bad either just not a book that your going to stay up late to finish.
Peter Johnson is a lush, a writer and a raving lefty who writes for his ex -wife the publisher of the Crusader, a leading left wing magazine. He has also been recruited by Banquo and his right hand man Wallets, a semi attached CIA spook who works out of New York. Johnson is trained and sent to Iran to kill an Iranian nuclear physicist.
Ultimately, the action shifts to New York and their are interagency tiffs, DOJ investigations. Peter Johnson is there but relegated to the background. He really isnt the star of the novel and unlike a good Silva novel, this is not about a one man operation but the calculated means that an intelligence plan can try to succeed.
Lowery, who is a regular on the FOX News channel, takes frequent pot shots at the left throughout the book, casting the Mayor of New York as spineless, and of course the whole details of the left wing newspaper are part of the plot but overdone. These right wingish sections of the novel do not get in the way of the novel, but also do not make it better, and they get tiring.
I think its a good novel, not exceptional. Its not a super thriller but its not bad either just not a book that your going to stay up late to finish.
Read
September 7, 2025Conservapundits love writing thrillers. I've hateread a good chunk of them and this stands out among the subgenre for how poorly written it is—even with a second author to iron out Lowry's fumbling—combined with smug ignorance of basic, nonideological facts and a level of bigotry I last encountered in Ben Shapiro's 'True Allegiance'. Did appreciate how Lowry, who only has his job as editor of the National Review bc William F Buckley passed on 2 Jews for being Jewish, writes every wealthy Manhattan liberal as antisemitic while the only Jewish character in the book is a rootless mercenary turncoat whose physical description made me wonder 'is Rich Lowry just ripping off Star Wars's Watto?' A bad book but not in a fun way.
November 13, 2017
Thrilled from start to finish! And as with any good book, i learnt and grabbed helluva info and new stuff!
February 17, 2016
"Banquo's Ghosts" is decent escapist writing and a well paced thriller. However, the story is banal as are some of the plot points. Even for a thriller there were some moments where I could not make the leap the authors intended.
The novel receives kudos for its unflinching portrayal of Islamic extremism, and its willingness to point out the hypocrisy of the "peaceful religion" and the preening Western press that enables this sham. At times the satire is biting, and dead on. There are also some fun allusions scattered throughout the text that are gamefully deployed and fun to catch. Also fun are some of the thinly veiled caricatures of recognizable people. Arianna Huffington, Frank Rich, and the Huffington Post are clearly lampooned, as our other elements of our political pop culture. "Banquo's Ghosts" is even decently written, at times, and it always moves quickly.
But...there is also plenty to disappoint in this text. The majority of the characterizations are flat and stereotypical, and although the writing is okay it is too often painfully clunky and heavy handed. As for the ending, it is just dull. This is a book for the beach or a rainy afternoon. Nothing more.
For me the biggest joy of this text was its unfettered and open disgust with terrorists, and honestly stating that Islamic extremism is one of the most violent ideologies on the planet. I also enjoyed (and yes I know it was simple and not fleshed out) its celebration of America and those who keep us safe.
So, I guess I am saying I would probably read another book by these authors (in the above conditions) but I also suspect that the majority of the joy one can derive from this text is to be had on the first reading.
The novel receives kudos for its unflinching portrayal of Islamic extremism, and its willingness to point out the hypocrisy of the "peaceful religion" and the preening Western press that enables this sham. At times the satire is biting, and dead on. There are also some fun allusions scattered throughout the text that are gamefully deployed and fun to catch. Also fun are some of the thinly veiled caricatures of recognizable people. Arianna Huffington, Frank Rich, and the Huffington Post are clearly lampooned, as our other elements of our political pop culture. "Banquo's Ghosts" is even decently written, at times, and it always moves quickly.
But...there is also plenty to disappoint in this text. The majority of the characterizations are flat and stereotypical, and although the writing is okay it is too often painfully clunky and heavy handed. As for the ending, it is just dull. This is a book for the beach or a rainy afternoon. Nothing more.
For me the biggest joy of this text was its unfettered and open disgust with terrorists, and honestly stating that Islamic extremism is one of the most violent ideologies on the planet. I also enjoyed (and yes I know it was simple and not fleshed out) its celebration of America and those who keep us safe.
So, I guess I am saying I would probably read another book by these authors (in the above conditions) but I also suspect that the majority of the joy one can derive from this text is to be had on the first reading.
December 8, 2009
‘Now the only truth: you never know.’
A rogue special operation is initiated by CIA spymaster Stewart Banquo after he learns that an Iranian scientist is in the process of developing nuclear weapons on Iranian soil. Peter Johnson, a dissolute liberal news journalist is recruited as a most unlikely hero where he poses as a sympathetic reporter writing a piece about Iran’s nuclear facilities. His mission is to kill the scientist.
Unfortunately, the best laid plans (and even those that are not) frequently fail. The consequences are that Johnson is captured and tortured by the Iranians. With the assistance of the CIA operatives who trained him initially, Johnson escapes from Iran and returns to the USA.
Back in the USA, Johnson is involved in tracking down a group of suspected Iranian terrorists who are planning to commit nuclear terrorism in New York. The stakes are high: both New York City and Johnson’s kidnapped daughter are at risk.
There is plenty of action in this novel, and some very interesting characters. This is a work of fiction, but the actions described are disturbingly plausible. Are the actions of Banquo and his ghosts justified? You can read this novel for the page-turning action, and you can question political correctness, decision-making processes and consequences. In some ways, the novel left me unsatisfied: there is too much plausibility in this (although it may involve different players) for me to just finish the novel and walk away. I didn’t like some of the characters or their actions. Overall the novel made me think about causes and motivations, about events, effects and outcomes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A rogue special operation is initiated by CIA spymaster Stewart Banquo after he learns that an Iranian scientist is in the process of developing nuclear weapons on Iranian soil. Peter Johnson, a dissolute liberal news journalist is recruited as a most unlikely hero where he poses as a sympathetic reporter writing a piece about Iran’s nuclear facilities. His mission is to kill the scientist.
Unfortunately, the best laid plans (and even those that are not) frequently fail. The consequences are that Johnson is captured and tortured by the Iranians. With the assistance of the CIA operatives who trained him initially, Johnson escapes from Iran and returns to the USA.
Back in the USA, Johnson is involved in tracking down a group of suspected Iranian terrorists who are planning to commit nuclear terrorism in New York. The stakes are high: both New York City and Johnson’s kidnapped daughter are at risk.
There is plenty of action in this novel, and some very interesting characters. This is a work of fiction, but the actions described are disturbingly plausible. Are the actions of Banquo and his ghosts justified? You can read this novel for the page-turning action, and you can question political correctness, decision-making processes and consequences. In some ways, the novel left me unsatisfied: there is too much plausibility in this (although it may involve different players) for me to just finish the novel and walk away. I didn’t like some of the characters or their actions. Overall the novel made me think about causes and motivations, about events, effects and outcomes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
May 13, 2009
I'm a big fan of Rich Lowry's. I love his political commentary and have read a book or two of his. I think he's smart and funny and dead on most of the time. I was so excited to read a work of fiction from him. Now I'm not so excited.
This book is frighteningly real. It deals with real time issues and stuff like this could very well be happening. And probably is. There are subtle, and not so subtle, jabs at the media and various government agencies who either like to play best friends with dangerous persons/countries or who refuse to pull their heads out of the sand.
I've read a lot of Tom Clancy and this felt very Clancy-ish. It was a bit graphic at times and dealt with some of the seedier things in life. I haven't read much of that lately so it was a little shocking. The thing which just totally bugged and made me want to chuck the book through the window was all the incomplete sentences. Sometimes there were 3 or 4 in a paragraph. I understand the literary value of using them. At times. Repeatedly gets old. Really old. Like stupid old. Make me want to poke my eyes out.
Interesting. Will make you think. And I'll blame the co-author for all the incompletes. I still love you, Rich.
This book is frighteningly real. It deals with real time issues and stuff like this could very well be happening. And probably is. There are subtle, and not so subtle, jabs at the media and various government agencies who either like to play best friends with dangerous persons/countries or who refuse to pull their heads out of the sand.
I've read a lot of Tom Clancy and this felt very Clancy-ish. It was a bit graphic at times and dealt with some of the seedier things in life. I haven't read much of that lately so it was a little shocking. The thing which just totally bugged and made me want to chuck the book through the window was all the incomplete sentences. Sometimes there were 3 or 4 in a paragraph. I understand the literary value of using them. At times. Repeatedly gets old. Really old. Like stupid old. Make me want to poke my eyes out.
Interesting. Will make you think. And I'll blame the co-author for all the incompletes. I still love you, Rich.
January 4, 2012
Rich Lowry is editor of National Review. This novel is a standard thriller. Terrorists are on the loose and they must be stopped. But in bit of fantasy wishing, the guy who can stop them is a bleeding heart liberal journalist who discovers that all the evil conservatives have been right!!! There really are terrorists who want to kill Americans!. So bleeding heart gets some training and sent on a secret mission and thanks to him being such an anti-american blowhard he's allowed into secret Iranian locations.
Decent book. Nothing spectacular or new to the genre. Definitely written with a conservative / hawk perspective and can get a bit preachy once in a while. But if you're reading anti-terrorist thrillers you're most likely not a member of the ACLU.
Decent book. Nothing spectacular or new to the genre. Definitely written with a conservative / hawk perspective and can get a bit preachy once in a while. But if you're reading anti-terrorist thrillers you're most likely not a member of the ACLU.
June 15, 2009
Really first rate spy novel. Not quite Furst or Silva but better than Blackford Oakes. Lots of good right wing snark but it doesn't get in the way of the story. Much, much better WOGT story than Body of Lies by David Ignatius. (In which Ignatius' ideology DOES get in the way of the story.)
You will love Banquo!
You will love Banquo!
July 25, 2010
i enjoyed this story very much. partly because i have recently read a couple books, which i have not bothered to post here because in each of them the bad guys were really the good guys. here the bad guys are in fact the bad guys! well written, good spoofing of the main stream media. nice advenutre.
January 15, 2014
Unfortunately, based on the past, this book is conceivably possible. It is a very scary novel of what could happen in a very home made terrorist plot.
I read an ARC from 2009 that had been lying around for 4 years, so don't know how this was received, but Misters Lowry and Korman have rattled my cage with this tale.
I read an ARC from 2009 that had been lying around for 4 years, so don't know how this was received, but Misters Lowry and Korman have rattled my cage with this tale.
April 5, 2015
everyone takes Saddam’s money, love life or death, war fought on tv, Iran dusted backpacks roaming radioactive contamination 180 dead 20 some clean-up buildings, ritualistic shaving for death, worms in Big Apple, mayor a man without a chest, we will give you dialogue in response weakness invited danger.
September 30, 2009
Great technical knowledge, great suspense. Very scary information about Iran's nuclear program. Okay so I know it's fiction, but most fiction has some element or plausible element of truth to it. Read this, be afraid.
July 19, 2010
Of all the spy thrillers I've read (and loved!), I think I like this one the best, simply because all the characters in it seem as flawed as I am, and so even more believable than Gabriel Allon, Scot Harvath, and Mitch Rapp.
October 2, 2012
I actually listened to this one on audio, which was excellent. In light of 9/11, it's pretty scary, as it involves a plot by Iranians to develop and deploy a nuclear weapon. Hits close to home but is very well done, suspenseful and interesting.
June 12, 2009
Fun to read... interesting premise... right out of the news. Made me a bit paranoid as I read. Not an original Clancy, but kept me going. Loved the allusions to Shakespeare.
May 4, 2009
A page turner. Gives you a good idea could have been happening in the near past and what could happen in the near future.
March 1, 2010
Nice pace. I liked the 'flawed hero' character(s).
July 18, 2010
Loved this...Rich should write more within this genre!
July 19, 2012
Storyline was okay. Charater studies were above average. The story itself was a bit cumbersome and difficult to move through. I expected more.
January 3, 2014
Quick read - lots of action but just missing that element that gets you into the story.
June 8, 2010
Good read. Learned to drink Black and Tan.
October 8, 2012
political thriller
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews