Blowback

by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois

From the New York Times bestselling author of The President Is Missing , America has elected its most brilliant president ever, but he’s also a psychopath—and about to start a world war with our most dangerous enemy. US President Keegan Barrett has swept into office on his success as Director of the CIA. Six months into his first term, he devises a clandestine power grab with deadly consequences.    Barrett personally orders CIA agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel to execute his plan, but their loyalties are divided. The CIA serves at the pleasure of the president, yet they’ve sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.   When the threat comes directly from the Oval Office, that’s where the blowback begins. “Pure Patterson… Blowback asks us to imagine what would happen if a narcissistic psychopath were elected to the White House [and] to experience the terror of the world hanging in the balance at a moment when only a handful of determined patriots can save us.” –Ron Charles,  Washington Post

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Crime, Politics

504 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2022

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
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James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Ron Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson’s new thriller, “Blowback,” asks us to imagine what would happen if a narcissistic psychopath were elected to the White House.

Americans could be forgiven for thinking they already have a pretty good idea of what that would be like.

But if “Blowback” is feedback on Donald Trump’s raging years in office, it’s only a glancing shot.

That figures. After all, Patterson has long maintained an indulgent détente with his friend and fellow Floridian. Unlike Stephen King, who regularly unleashes the hounds of hell upon Trump, Patterson has largely restricted himself to sighs of disappointment. Even in his two immensely popular presidential thrillers written with Bill Clinton, Patterson has avoided any harsh criticism of the Very Stable Genius.

That attitude of restraint paid off when Trump awarded Patterson a National Humanities Medal, the only one conferred on a novelist during Trump’s time in office. At a White House ceremony in 2019, the president told Patterson, “You’ve sold a lot more books than me, and I guess you’ve sold a lot more books than anyone but maybe one: the Bible.” It was a weird moment that inadvertently called attention to the fact that Trump, Patterson and God rely on other people to help write their books. . . .

To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A president who's mentally bonkers? Wow, what a concept! Kudos to the authors for a timely topic that showcases what can happen when the leader of the free world's power is totally unchecked. U.S. President Keegan Barrett doesn't have orange hair, nor is he inclined to throw ketchup at walls - but he does believe the only way to get "them" is for him to get them first.

He's got a diabolical plan that starts with a loyal-to-the-core assistant and formation of two teams of CIA operatives - one domestic and one foreign - led by Noa Himel and Liam Grey; they're charged with carrying out the President's direct orders, which are kept secret from all the other government leaders because a) Barrett doesn't trust anyone and b) he's the only one who's right. If everything goes the way he's sure it will, he'll end up a dictator who's admired and revered; after all, he deserves no less. If millions of people's lives are disrupted - and death arguably is the biggest disruption there is - everyone who's left will agree he did it all for love of country.

Also loyal to the core are Liam and Noa - that is, until they're not; nasty things happen (some of which they're ordered by the President to make happen) that lead them to the smell of a rat - a rat with two legs who acts suspiciously like the man they've sworn an oath to obey no matter what. Gradually, the light dawns; but now that they can see where the path they're on leads, what can they do to prevent the biggest disaster the world has ever known?

Worse, the whole thing is a ticking time bomb; it's not just a matter of stopping the President, but stopping him fast. And when his word is everyone's command, the whole thing turns into a James Bond "Goldfinger" countdown that, of course, keeps readers on the edge of their seats (well, it did me, at least). Some parts are predictable, others elicited a few gasps and the whole thing is a fast-paced adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done Trump on steroids and unfortunately, not out of the realm of possibility. 8 of 10 stars

[Henry · Rating 2 out of 5]

The latest from the James Patterson novel factory. I stopped reading Patterson's books many years ago when he stopped writing them (he was a very good mystery writer in the beginning) and had others manufacture them for his company (hopefully still in the U.S.), but this one had such an intriguing premise in its subtitle, "An American President Goes Insane", and being a political thriller junkie, I had to give it a try. It has a great premise gone awry and fails on so many levels: a plot that is not credible, dumb characters and just bad writing. 502 pages consisting of 153 chapters! The chapters of 2, 3 or 4 pages (for long ones) alternate between characters and unnecessary sub-plots so there is no real continuity until the very end. The writing is convoluted--is English the first language of the person or persons who actually wrote this book? Why two stars instead of one? I don't know, probably because I did actually finish it, just to see what happens when a President goes insane.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been on a slight James Patterson kick, I was eager to get my hands on this collaborative effort between the star-author and Brendan DuBois. Together, their spy thriller has some great twists and proves that there’s s no end to the abilities when Patterson enlists the help of great authors. A president who has let power go to his head, a CIA Director who tries to wrest control before the US enters a war it cannot win, and a number of operatives who are but pawns on the game board, all players in this piece. All this and a great deal more in this thriller that chills readers to the core, reminiscent of some of the great authors in the genre.


It is said that power corrupts, but it can also intoxicate. Such is the apparent fallout when Keegan Barrett assumes the role of President of the United States. A former CIA operative and Director, Barrett knows the Intelligency community, but he is also aware of its shortcomings. Intel must be acted upon and not left to gather dust on the shelf, which is why President Keenan has a plan. He wants to get a new CIA Director in place not long after his entering the Oval Office and begin a system of striking America’s most powerful enemies, both within and outside the borders of the US.

Barrett calls Agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel into his office to explain the plan, citing that it will be completely off the books and they answer solely to him. While the Agency serves at the president’s discretion, there is a pesky thing called the US Constitution standing the the way, something both Himel and Grey point out. However, President Barrett is clear that nothing will stand in his way of keeping the Chinese and Russians in his crosshairs, wanting them to act whenever and wherever he desires, sure that it will ensure there is no second guessing his plans fo the coming months and years.

While the plan begins to work somewhat effectively, there are those close to the president who start questing his authority. Any who dare sound the alarm turn up dead, adding fear to those who are left. A new Director of the CIA and some high-ranking congressional authorities begin to wonder what steps could be taken to wrest control away from this reckless president, but with an incapacitated vice-president and the Speaker of the House in her own hot water over a scandal, there is no clear successor, even though legislation is in place for such measures. Still, the blowback must begin, or President Barrett will keep holding power and push the US into a war with two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy the Land of the Free, given the chance.

With a roving reporter trying to cobble together a story that will rock the country and lay the groundwork for Bennett’s potential removal, there is hope that all this covert action will come to light. However, with so many people dying, there is a chance that more will come if they speak too freely. Politics, intelligence, and global peace are all in jeopardy with a man drunk on power in the middle, unwilling to hand over the reins of power. Patterson and DuBois do a masterful job with this piece, standing alongside some of the greats in the genre with this novel.

The idea that much of this could take place is perhaps one of the most chilling aspects of the entire book, but Patterson and DuBois do not shy away from the realistic depictions found herein. The narrative, while slow at times, proves to move things along and offers up scary insights of what could be, while hinting at the train wreck that might have been under Trump (making mention of it throughout). Strong storylines are buoyed by the narrative, as is the handful of great characters who shape the story. Politicians, intelligence officers, foreign governments and their agents all play key roles as characters in the book, all of whom are depicted wonderfully. The plot is clear and its delivery is both transparent and forked, just what is needed to add depth. And political intrigue throughout. Patterson and DuBois have shown that they can work well together and this piece is another example of that. I am eager to see if they try more political and counterintelligence thrillers in the future, as this one was surely a hit!

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and DuBois, on a strong collaborative effort!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Gretchen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book 50 pages, but just couldn't get into it. The story didn't seem to be going anywhere interesting, and I have more interesting things to read that I know will grab me right away. Sorry James Patterson, this one wasn't for me.

[Kelly Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh how I hate to do this because I am a huge James Patterson fan. Irritated at the loose Trump sanity references, WAY too long and jumped around WAY too much. If it was going to bring Trump’s sanity into question, why not our present leader of the free world (a walking meme)? Moving on to one of his better series such as the Women’s Murder Club.

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just imagine…a psychopath is elected President of the United States. Yeah, just imagine………Been there, done that, and this is not the book about it.

I’d sort of abandoned reading Patterson a few years ago. As his books became more prolific, it seemed the writing got lighter and lighter. But, I couldn’t resist the description of this one.

The President of the United States, Keegan Barrett, has become unhinged. He has a kill list of enemies of the United States and sets up a back channel network to destroy them and bring the country on the verge of a world war. It is up to some CIA agents and the new director of the agency to try to stop him. And, by the way, the Vice President is in a comatose state due to poisoning and the majority leader is under fire due to a made up scandal,

This is a cautionary tale about what could happen when a narcissistic paranoid sociopath focused on destroying his perceived enemies is placed in a position of power. Keegan believes divine providence made him the president; he operates like he owns the country. Sound familiar? However, Keegan eats egg white omelets for dinner and “stays off Twitter and doesn’t claim to be a stable genius.” He works to obliterate foreign enemies rather than enabling them.

A little fantastical? Maybe not…….

Thanks to #netgalley and @LittleBrown for the ARC

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The descriptive tagline on the book – “Blowback” – screams out “An American president goes insane.” What am interesting way to promote the latest James Patterson thriller and grab your attention. He and his writing partner for this one, Brendan DuBois have written quite the summer potboiler that includes a mix of Tom Clancy espionage, the television show Scandal political intrigue, and David Baldacci layered suspense.

“Blowback” begins with the U.S. President Keegan Barrett creating his own team of special operatives, one led by Liam Grey that executes missions against foreign enemies, and a second led by Noa Himel that does the same domestically. The problem is, they are committing acts that are outside the established levels of proper authority. The president is using them to illegally take out his personal enemies.

The even bigger problem is that President Barrett has an even bigger master plan that he is working on and Liam and Noa are only two of the players that he is manipulating to put that plan into action. It involves putting the Vice-President and the Speaker of the House on the sidelines, taking out several terrorist organizations, preparing military exercises, and purposely antagonizing several Chinese leaders that could cause irreparable harm to international relations.

I don’t want to say anything more about this book in order to let the reader enjoy and savor every twist and turn that takes place in this fast-paced thriller. There’s a lot of potboiler twists, multiple interconnecting storylines, and a larger rather than smaller cast of characters in this dramatic political thriller. It also has the required level of action, violence, suspense, and mystery expected from Patterson fans.

Is it realistic? Not really. Is it over-the-top? Absolutely, yes. Is it too politically oriented? That’s your call to make. But, is it an interesting read? For the most part, yes. There was some serious time spent in building complex and multi-layered plotlines that are deeply baked in the dramatic elements of government, law, and history. For me, the best part of “Blowback” was the plotting and how the characters connected to the overall story. This one was well thought out, much like the two “President” books that Patterson wrote with Bill Clinton. There were several similarities to those novels, but my guess is that Clinton wouldn’t be that excited to write about a President having mental challenges, and I don’t blame him at all. That’s a story for another co-writer.

For the most part, believe it or not, for the most part this book was pretty good and flowed smoothly most of the time. The authors created an interesting urgency around the political dilemma, well-timed plot-twists, and connecting the multiple storylines in enjoyable ways. My strongest complaint was that the ending was a bit over-dramatic and weaker than the buildup leading to the climax.

Overall, it comes down to this. We don’t read Patterson for realism. We read him for high level thrillers that help us escape our daily grind and enjoy an exciting thriller that makes us forget about all else. This time Patterson delivered an enjoyable political thriller that should keep your attention from the beginning to the end. Suspend you sense of reality and enjoy the escape. Even Olivia Pope would be proud of your efforts…

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. After reading some of the other reviews I have come to a conclusion. This conclusion is I must be an odd duck due to the fact that I find this novel very suspenseful and well written. Good characters, much intrigue and no dry dialog. In fact, I read most of this book in one day which I know is not unusual for most but for me it is quite a statement.

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every new James Patterson book claims to be the author's "best thriller in years," although depending on the coauthor, his works seldom rise above average. In case you didn't know, James Patterson doesn't write his co-authored books. According to his memoir, James Patterson by James Patterson, he constructs the plot and characters, creates a detailed outline of 70–80 pages, and then hands it on to his coauthor to write. Blowback, his latest thriller, is co-written with frequent collaborator Brendan DuBois (The Summer House, The First Lady, and so on), and the cover slogan is "An American President Goes Insane." That one sentence alone suggests that the novel's fictional president is probably inspired by the 45th President of the United States.

The concept of Blowback is simple: freshly elected US President Kegan Barrett orders CIA agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel to organize an undercover task force to eliminate anybody on his "kill list" whom he deems a danger to his presidency. Sounds familiar, right?

I won't go into further specifics regarding the story. To put it simply, this is a dull read. After a few chapters, the storyline soon grew uninteresting, and I skimmed the last remaining pages to finish the book and write my review. There's not a single likable character that can be found in this too lengthy novel. 512 pages? That is going too far. In contrast to Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, and Diana Gabaldon, who can write fascinating, lengthy epics on their own, James Patterson can't write epics of this level, even when working with a co-author. If at least 150 pages of unnecessary dialogue had been cut from Blowback, the novel may have been much better.

Once more, breaking my golden rule, I read a few reader reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I'm perplexed as to why this book has received four or five stars and sugar-coated reviews. Even if it's not completely terrible, it only deserves two stars at most, and I'm being very generous. Writing is a skill that Brendan DuBois does have, and he makes the most use of it with Mr. Patterson's thinly laced plot. But you need real thrills if you're going to create a suspense novel about a corrupt president, and I couldn't find any in Blowback.╌★★✰✰✰

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always loved James Patterson books but this one was a little far-fetched even for me! President Keegan Barrett enlists the help of two of his trusted associates but it becomes increasingly clear he himself is a sociopath. It's such an interesting premise that I blew through it quickly though it's quite long, but it just didn't hold the appeal as some of his earlier works did. In typical Patterson fashion, there is plenty of action and quirky characters so tension is high throughout. Apparently I just wasn't in the right mood to totally appreciate it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, and that’s being generous. Too many characters introduced too quickly at the slow moving beginning. This book had its suspenseful moments, but a lot of slow areas also. And it was way too long. I always enjoy when JP puts out a free standing read, but this definitely was not a favorite.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really should have DNFed this. I hoped it would get better as I got into it but it never did. The characters were forgettable and the plot mostly pointless. The only decent part was the climax and by that point I was just glad it was over. Almost rated it 1 star and maybe should have.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

An idiot is in the Oval Office. He has plans to have all safeguards removed by the time he starts his war with China.


Don’t waste your time.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the pace of this novel. You do have to put on an imagination hat for this one. A lot of stuff is out there as far as the reality scale goes. Yet what the heck, it's just a novel. So the authors just made a what if we have fun with this crazy novel idea. And the pace carried it for me. It just seemed like I could eat the pages quickly and I was enjoying the story as well. Is that not what we want in a good book? See you all for the next one!

[Patricia Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

An American President Goes Insane

Sound familiar? Well, it should because now we know it can happen.

He’s America’s most brilliant president ever. He’s also a psychopath.

Keegan Barrett, former director of the CIA, has easily transitioned to the Oval Office. Only six months into his term, h comes up with an off-the-books plan to use the CIA on home soil to get rid of his enemies. And he is ruthless. The type of ruthlessness that comes from thinking you are the smartest person on earth and no one can stop you.

With no one to keep him in check, he orders two agents, Liam and Noa, to carry out his plan. No questions asked. Only they aren’t quite comfortable with their roles and when the President finds out there will be hell to pay. Unless they can find a way to outsmart the psycho in the oval office before the blowback destroys the country.

I really enjoyed this one! Very on topic for right now. It’s scary because we now know it is possible!

NetGalley/September 1, 2022 by Penguin

[Tammy Adams · Rating 1 out of 5]

A story about a narcissist President who has lost his mind? Seems like we just dealt with this in real life a few years ago. Anyway, this was a long book that had no reason to be that lengthy. I recognized Patterson’s jealousy of Stephen King in his book about himself and I wonder if he thinks he can write “epic” books as King does just by making them super long? If so, it doesn’t work. Not the book for me.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this slow at some points then cruises along to action, mystery and violence. It's an interesting and plausible plot which I would have said as not until 7 years ago. Frightening
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of “his” best👎

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! But considering the world we are living in-very frightening.

[Kenny Kemper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read. It was my first James Patterson book that I have read and I throughly enjoyed his writing. It even had some funny comments to a past president that could be said that may not be “stable” either. The character development and progression was done with perfection where you have characters that you root for ones you can’t stand and ones that my opinion changed as I read the book.

[WM D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blowback was a good book. When I picked it up. I was thinking it would be a good thriller by James Patterson. I was surprised how it didn’t come together that quickly.

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long book, but easy reading.
Good but frightening story by James Patterson & Brendan DuBois. It had to due primarily with the (insane) president of the USA, the USA & China+.
If the situation happens in real life, it would definitely be scary. Hopefully, more controls are in place than in this book.

[danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

I'm torn on how to rate this one. I loved the start, and was on board 100% finding it hard to stop listening. I was worried and anxious to get to the end. And, as feared, it took a very wimpy turn about an hour before the end. It tried to ramp up the [predictable] action, but it wasn't enough for me to salvage the weak turn it took. So, anti-climatic is the best I can say.

Had the ending been stronger, this would have been close to 4.5 stars for me. But, in it's current state, I'm giving it 3.5 stars. But given how strong the first 90% was, I'll round up to 4.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a arc e book from Net Galley for my I pad. I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was a well written book.

[Linda Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patterson know what happens when you continuously elect half insane MEN to head the USA, he knows so well, he decided o release this book....

Although the book claims; A brilliant American president is also a psychopath, he forgets to add narcissist that wants to be a monarch; but that is what is displayed on these pages!

US President Keegan Barrett has swept into office on his success as Director of the CIA. He immediately devises a clandestine power grab with deadly consequences, to more than those involved.

Barrett personally orders CIA agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel to execute his plan, but their loyalties are divided. The CIA serves at the pleasure of the president, yet they’ve sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. At first it appears everything is on the up and up, but is it?

In fact, a worldwide threat has come from Oval Office, so who will challenge that order?

Read the book, but don't expect happily ever after!

[Nicholas G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this book 3.5 stars, but I've rounded it up to 4 due to its excellent pacing. The short chapters and contemporary relevance were particularly appealing.

The story felt plausible, as if the events described could genuinely occur.

However, the tagline 'an American President goes insane' seemed somewhat misleading. In light of our experiences with Trump and other presidential candidates, “insane” made me expect a character less in touch with reality and coherent than the ones we have now, The protagonist comes across more as a narcissistic psychopath with a messiah complex, which at this point, is par for the Republican course.

This book isn't deeply profound, but that works in its favor. It unfolds like a chain reaction: a spy event leads to a specific protocol, which in turn sparks a conversation, and so on. The narrative is heavily plot-driven, with characters primarily serving to advance the story. Nonetheless, it's an engaging and exciting plot.

I would recommend this and read another Patterson book, maybe on a beach vacation.

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stand alone story about a President who from the moment he is elected pushes the boundaries of what is possible in that role. For years he has moulded the situation around him so that at the most important part, when he becomes Commander In Chief, the people around him that would normally put the brakes on his madness are all weak and ineffective. In the case of the Vice President they are ill and simply taken out of the game.
I find Patterson books to be good ones to rattle through at a decent pace. I largely ignore the fact that he writes such short chapters because they tend to flow into each other anyway.
If you like crime thrillers and you are prepared to suspend a little bit of disbelief for a while this is a perfectly good one to read through.

[Bookishgamer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was reluctant to give this two stars as I really used to enjoy James Pattersons works, however this one was just not for me.

Initially promising, had a good premise and started off really well. I liked the shirt punchy chapters and was intrigued by where events were going. Around two thirds of the way through it became a real struggle to finish.

It was too long, too much jumping around between story lines - with short chapters I don’t think it was effective. Kind of didn’t really have a point apart from veiled digs at a former president of the USA who I don’t need to name.

Disappointing but remain a fan of Patterson