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Jim McGill #1
The President's Henchman
As we've just seen, it's only a matter of time--and not that long a time--before the United States elects its first female president. Which will make her husband--what?
Well, if he's the ex-cop who solved the murder of the president's first husband and brought the killers to justice...and if he's not the kind of guy to stand on formality...and if he doesn't want to be the head of the FBI...and if he takes out a license and becomes the first private eye to live in the White House...
That would make him The President's Henchman.
Jim McGill's first case is to find out who is stalking a member of the White House press corps, before that stalker turns the tables on McGill and maybe even threatens the president herself. He also has to be a shadow adviser to a young Air Force investigator who is looking into a he-said-she-said charge of adultery leveled against a female colonel working at the Pentagon, a case with the potential to derail the new president's administration before it has a chance to begin.
434 pages, ebook
First published January 13, 2009
2107 people are currently reading
2179 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Flynn
69 books197 followersJoseph Flynn has been published both traditionally — Signet Books, Bantam Books and Variance Publishing — and through his own imprint, Stray Dog Press, Inc. Both major media reviews and reader reviews have praised his work. Booklist said, “Flynn is an excellent storyteller.” The Chicago Tribune said, “Flynn [is] a master of high-octane plotting.” The most repeated reader comment is: Write faster, we want more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 373 reviews
November 23, 2025
Interesting concept. Absolutely no comparison to The First Gentleman by Patterson. Joseph Flynn did a great job putting together a suspenseful, humorous, action packed novel which hopefully will reflect on the rest of the series.
This writing supports several parallel pathways. Jim McGill is dealing with his first case, Chana Lochlan which is hinky to say the least, especially with the influence of DamonTodd, psychotherapist who has his own agenda. The president is trying to stop a Cuban crisis while being watched closely since she is the first female president. To add to the heat from the military she has Welborn Yates under her wing, new to his position of investigating, looking into unbecoming actions of several officers. Topping it off would be the threat to the First Family by religious extremists who have previously murdered the president’s first husband.
Action packed, well written. Well worth a 4.5 rating but the ending pushed it to a 5.
This writing supports several parallel pathways. Jim McGill is dealing with his first case, Chana Lochlan which is hinky to say the least, especially with the influence of DamonTodd, psychotherapist who has his own agenda. The president is trying to stop a Cuban crisis while being watched closely since she is the first female president. To add to the heat from the military she has Welborn Yates under her wing, new to his position of investigating, looking into unbecoming actions of several officers. Topping it off would be the threat to the First Family by religious extremists who have previously murdered the president’s first husband.
Action packed, well written. Well worth a 4.5 rating but the ending pushed it to a 5.
July 28, 2018
Jim McGill is married to the President of the United States, the first woman elected to the office. He’s a former police chief now trying to establish his new private investigation firm. He came up with his new moniker, The President’s Henchman, discarding all the others pretty handily. His first case is indirectly connected as the client is a member of the White House press corp and he’s also asked to shadow an Air Force investigator who’s representing a rising female Army colonel who’s being accused of adultery.
I was engaged from the first page! Jim is incredibly likable and his wife, Patti (POTUS), is the ideal of who we’d like to see in the White House. There are several storylines in play, not all connected, but the flow was just about perfect. I felt I knew these people, or would like to know them. This wasn’t Jim’s or Patti’s first marriage so that was a unique aspect of the story as blended family issues were addressed, especially as Jim’s children don’t live at the White House. The case was strange and intriguing and the military investigation perplexing.
My only criticism was the seemingly rushed ending. There were some dangling plot issues as a result but maybe they’re addressed in the next book. No matter as I enjoyed this too much and will definitely be continuing the series.
I was engaged from the first page! Jim is incredibly likable and his wife, Patti (POTUS), is the ideal of who we’d like to see in the White House. There are several storylines in play, not all connected, but the flow was just about perfect. I felt I knew these people, or would like to know them. This wasn’t Jim’s or Patti’s first marriage so that was a unique aspect of the story as blended family issues were addressed, especially as Jim’s children don’t live at the White House. The case was strange and intriguing and the military investigation perplexing.
My only criticism was the seemingly rushed ending. There were some dangling plot issues as a result but maybe they’re addressed in the next book. No matter as I enjoyed this too much and will definitely be continuing the series.
March 3, 2024
Always excited to discover a new series with a number of books to tide me over, I turned to this collection by Joseph Flynn. Jim McGill is a gritty former cop whose life has been turned on its head when his wife is elected as the next US president. Now, carving out his own path, McGill decides to open a private investigation firm, hoping to help those in need, rather than cutting ribbons and making connections with those who want to bend the ear of POTUS. When a case fall into McGill’s lap, he leaps on it, but soon learns that there is more than meets the eye. Flynn begins things with a bang in this series debut!
Jim McGill is in a unique position. While he has a long history of working cases in Illinois as a cop, he’s married to the recently elected President of the United States. As such, he is the First Husband, but not one who enjoys ribbon cuttings and standing at various banquets. Rather, McGill would prefer to keep his skills sharp and serve as the President’s Henchman, handling situations that she cannot while still staying on this side of the law.
After opening up his own private investigations firm, McGill takes on the case of a journalist who feels that she might be in some danger. With a stalker lurking in the shadows and offering up some fairly damning messages, nothing is quite as it seems. When the journalist gets cold feet and cancels the services, both McGill and POTUS take an interest in the case, leaving the investigation to continue off the record.
If that were not enough, McGill is asked to help a young Air Force investigator with a case that might be headed to court-martial. A female colonel working at the Pentagon has been accused of an affair with a married soldier. The case takes on some interesting twist that only McGill could surmise. All the while, the looming issue of McGill’s own children, back in Illinois with their mother, comes to a head as a violent preacher has some ideas of his own about justice. Flynn packs all this into the debut novel that has left me needing more.
Joseph Flynn knows how to effectively mesh politics and a police procedural, leaving me to hope that things will continue as the series progresses. A strong narrative base provides the reader with a stunning story that gets better the more the story gains speed. Juggling many themes and ideas, peppered with humour and some dark aspects, Flynn keeps the reader trying to synthesise it all before delivering a stunning end. The characters are fresh and having me hoping there will be developments and backstories in the coming novels. I am eager to see what’s in store and how Jim McGill will keep things on point.
There is a great plot within this novel, which Joseph Flynn has developed with great care. While things might have been somewhat linear, there is a lack of this, adding depth and a great flavouring for the reader. Flynn provides a core story and then builds from there, keeping the reader wondering as twists emerge and the story gets a little meatier, which could help build up the momentum for the second novel. I hope to see more with McGill and his apparently unpredictable ways, as well as much of the backstory in his life that remains untapped.
Kudos, Mr. Flynn, for piquing my interest with this debut!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Jim McGill is in a unique position. While he has a long history of working cases in Illinois as a cop, he’s married to the recently elected President of the United States. As such, he is the First Husband, but not one who enjoys ribbon cuttings and standing at various banquets. Rather, McGill would prefer to keep his skills sharp and serve as the President’s Henchman, handling situations that she cannot while still staying on this side of the law.
After opening up his own private investigations firm, McGill takes on the case of a journalist who feels that she might be in some danger. With a stalker lurking in the shadows and offering up some fairly damning messages, nothing is quite as it seems. When the journalist gets cold feet and cancels the services, both McGill and POTUS take an interest in the case, leaving the investigation to continue off the record.
If that were not enough, McGill is asked to help a young Air Force investigator with a case that might be headed to court-martial. A female colonel working at the Pentagon has been accused of an affair with a married soldier. The case takes on some interesting twist that only McGill could surmise. All the while, the looming issue of McGill’s own children, back in Illinois with their mother, comes to a head as a violent preacher has some ideas of his own about justice. Flynn packs all this into the debut novel that has left me needing more.
Joseph Flynn knows how to effectively mesh politics and a police procedural, leaving me to hope that things will continue as the series progresses. A strong narrative base provides the reader with a stunning story that gets better the more the story gains speed. Juggling many themes and ideas, peppered with humour and some dark aspects, Flynn keeps the reader trying to synthesise it all before delivering a stunning end. The characters are fresh and having me hoping there will be developments and backstories in the coming novels. I am eager to see what’s in store and how Jim McGill will keep things on point.
There is a great plot within this novel, which Joseph Flynn has developed with great care. While things might have been somewhat linear, there is a lack of this, adding depth and a great flavouring for the reader. Flynn provides a core story and then builds from there, keeping the reader wondering as twists emerge and the story gets a little meatier, which could help build up the momentum for the second novel. I hope to see more with McGill and his apparently unpredictable ways, as well as much of the backstory in his life that remains untapped.
Kudos, Mr. Flynn, for piquing my interest with this debut!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 11, 2014
Very enjoyable read! While Joseph Flynn is not as well known as Vince Flynn, I enjoy him just as much in the two books I have read. Planning on Reading more ASAP!
February 9, 2018
Disjointed novel with an intriguing premise.
The first female president's husband is a PI. He puts out his shingle and his first case is a news reporter who has a stalker. From there, things fall apart. The book tries to bring West Wing type political stuff into a PI mystery, but there is no real understanding of politics, on either the local or the national level, or of civics, either.
The author tries to do too much, with too little, and produced a disappointing novel.
The first female president's husband is a PI. He puts out his shingle and his first case is a news reporter who has a stalker. From there, things fall apart. The book tries to bring West Wing type political stuff into a PI mystery, but there is no real understanding of politics, on either the local or the national level, or of civics, either.
The author tries to do too much, with too little, and produced a disappointing novel.
April 11, 2024
4 1/2 stars.
I enjoyed this book a lot, although there were a lot of characters to keep up with, enough so that the printed book had a cast of characters at the beginning. There were a lot of politicians, law enforcement people, and families, and I found myself going back to reread parts of it to keep up with who was doing what.
It wasn't really the type of story to take too seriously, in my view. Many of the characters were kind of exaggerated, where the good guys were too good and the bad guys were too bad. But if you don't mind that sort of book, it's a fun read with interesting characters and dialogs. The main character, "The President's Henchman", is a former cop, with a wife in the White House, and not suited to being a figurehead. He's kind of a Jack Reacher type, good at combat and pretty fearless except at the doctor's office. So he started a private investigating business, with a former partner working with him, a devout Catholic woman who you don't want to mess with.
One thing that's a bit over the top is that it seems like all the women are beautiful, no matter what the age. The President is a former model/actress and is loved by almost everyone. It's a bit like an adventure comic book, which I haven't read in many years.
I enjoyed this book a lot, although there were a lot of characters to keep up with, enough so that the printed book had a cast of characters at the beginning. There were a lot of politicians, law enforcement people, and families, and I found myself going back to reread parts of it to keep up with who was doing what.
It wasn't really the type of story to take too seriously, in my view. Many of the characters were kind of exaggerated, where the good guys were too good and the bad guys were too bad. But if you don't mind that sort of book, it's a fun read with interesting characters and dialogs. The main character, "The President's Henchman", is a former cop, with a wife in the White House, and not suited to being a figurehead. He's kind of a Jack Reacher type, good at combat and pretty fearless except at the doctor's office. So he started a private investigating business, with a former partner working with him, a devout Catholic woman who you don't want to mess with.
One thing that's a bit over the top is that it seems like all the women are beautiful, no matter what the age. The President is a former model/actress and is loved by almost everyone. It's a bit like an adventure comic book, which I haven't read in many years.
July 23, 2013
I'm always delighted when one of the free downloads turns out to be something I can't put down, especially if it is the first of a series and more books are available.
Interesting premise, main characters are a married couple, she is the first woman president of the U.S. and he is a former police officer. Lots of characters, perhaps not completely believable plotline but the characters make it work, a few stock characters but developed well into individuals. Somewhat of a black/white presentation of political agendas and politicians, but I think it was necessary, used as a background framework rather than a political statement.
Enough action to keep the reader occupied, mature and rational main characters (which I greatly appreciate) and an occasional touch of humor. Definitely a series I will follow as I've already downloaded the second book.
Interesting premise, main characters are a married couple, she is the first woman president of the U.S. and he is a former police officer. Lots of characters, perhaps not completely believable plotline but the characters make it work, a few stock characters but developed well into individuals. Somewhat of a black/white presentation of political agendas and politicians, but I think it was necessary, used as a background framework rather than a political statement.
Enough action to keep the reader occupied, mature and rational main characters (which I greatly appreciate) and an occasional touch of humor. Definitely a series I will follow as I've already downloaded the second book.
February 25, 2023
Lots of moving parts in this story. There's a pretty interesting villain or two, too.
July 6, 2014
Wow, what a ride. Fast-paced, suspenseful, witty, with great characters.
Jim McGill is a former cop who just happens to be married to the recently-elected first woman president of the United States. To keep himself busy, he opens up a P.I. business (much to the displeasure of his Secret Service guards). But soon enough, he finds out that life at the White House isn't all bunnies and rainbows.
There's a military sex scandal, a Cuban crisis, a mad scientist trying to work his way into the CIA with a technique for altering personalities, radical anti-abortionists, scheming Senators, and a threat against Jim's children from his first marriage. And it all comes together in one breathless, dangerous day. Yeah, there's a lot going on, but it's all interesting. Even the political stuff. I don't generally enjoy political storylines, but these are exciting and well-done, with real stakes that mean something to the characters.
Speaking of the politics, the book hits a fine balance, without falling too heavily into one camp or the other. The President is a moderate Republican, Jim is a moderate Democrat (a mixed marriage in the White House!). There are bad religious people and good religious people. There are bad people who are against abortion and good people who are against abortion. Good military people and bad military people. Good and bad people on all sides of the political spectrum.
The characters are all well-drawn, distinctive, and interesting, and most of them are likable, except for the ones you'll love to hate. But even those aren't just cardboard cutouts - Mr. Flynn portrays very well where they're coming from and what they want and why.
The book is written in a witty, engaging, down-to-earth style that tells the story at a quick pace that's hard to put down. I stayed up waaaay too late so I could finish the last 20% (and this is not a short book; it seems shorter than it is) and then I immediately downloaded the sample for the next book in the series.
Jim McGill is a former cop who just happens to be married to the recently-elected first woman president of the United States. To keep himself busy, he opens up a P.I. business (much to the displeasure of his Secret Service guards). But soon enough, he finds out that life at the White House isn't all bunnies and rainbows.
There's a military sex scandal, a Cuban crisis, a mad scientist trying to work his way into the CIA with a technique for altering personalities, radical anti-abortionists, scheming Senators, and a threat against Jim's children from his first marriage. And it all comes together in one breathless, dangerous day. Yeah, there's a lot going on, but it's all interesting. Even the political stuff. I don't generally enjoy political storylines, but these are exciting and well-done, with real stakes that mean something to the characters.
Speaking of the politics, the book hits a fine balance, without falling too heavily into one camp or the other. The President is a moderate Republican, Jim is a moderate Democrat (a mixed marriage in the White House!). There are bad religious people and good religious people. There are bad people who are against abortion and good people who are against abortion. Good military people and bad military people. Good and bad people on all sides of the political spectrum.
The characters are all well-drawn, distinctive, and interesting, and most of them are likable, except for the ones you'll love to hate. But even those aren't just cardboard cutouts - Mr. Flynn portrays very well where they're coming from and what they want and why.
The book is written in a witty, engaging, down-to-earth style that tells the story at a quick pace that's hard to put down. I stayed up waaaay too late so I could finish the last 20% (and this is not a short book; it seems shorter than it is) and then I immediately downloaded the sample for the next book in the series.
June 18, 2018
I LOVED this book! It was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I read it! It's the first in a series and I've already got the second book ready to go.
Jim McGill is the husband to the first female president of the United States. As a retired Chief of Police he isn't interested in being idle during his wife's years as president. He goes to work as a Private Investigator in Washington D.C. - much to the annoyance of the head of the Secret Service.
This book is full of twists and turns - both politically and personally - but it is thoroughly entertaining. McGill and Patti (his wife and the president) have their plates full adjusting to their new lives but they handle it with class, intelligence and a smidge of under-handedness but done for all the right reasons.
There is a large cast of characters in this book but Flynn does a good job making all of them believable and fleshed out. The story lines were tied up in a satisfactory way by the end of the book. And there was a cliffhanger that made me want to immediately buy the second book in the series. I look forward to continuing on this fictional journey of McGill's and Patti's.
Jim McGill is the husband to the first female president of the United States. As a retired Chief of Police he isn't interested in being idle during his wife's years as president. He goes to work as a Private Investigator in Washington D.C. - much to the annoyance of the head of the Secret Service.
This book is full of twists and turns - both politically and personally - but it is thoroughly entertaining. McGill and Patti (his wife and the president) have their plates full adjusting to their new lives but they handle it with class, intelligence and a smidge of under-handedness but done for all the right reasons.
There is a large cast of characters in this book but Flynn does a good job making all of them believable and fleshed out. The story lines were tied up in a satisfactory way by the end of the book. And there was a cliffhanger that made me want to immediately buy the second book in the series. I look forward to continuing on this fictional journey of McGill's and Patti's.
Want to read
October 26, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/26/2017)!
September 30, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot more than the standalone Flynn book, Digger - husband of a female President and how he interacts with the Secret Service and the enemies of his wife and of his first client as a PI.
August 6, 2018
The President’s Henchman is the first book in Joseph Flynn’s Jim McGill’s series. I’m not sure what I feel about this one. I like the premise of the story-- Jim McGill is the husband of the first female president. He decides to become a private investigator instead of head the FBI. His code name is The Henchman due to his previous law enforcement background. His first job as First Husband PI is finding out who is stalking members of White House press corps.
I like Flynn’s writing style especially when he is interacting with his wife and the White House staff. Flynn lost me with the vast number of characters and subplots. Fortunately, there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book, that I need too often. When it’s necessary to flip back and forth from the story to the character list so often, it took me out of the story. It is frustrating. I didn’t expect the ending at all. Then, thinking about it a while, I suspect this is because this first book is free. My guess is this is used as a teaser to buy book two.
I like the story and premise well enough to add book two to my TBR list. However, if the second book ends with unresolved plots and/or a type of cliffhanger, I won’t continue. My favorite feature of this type of mystery series is the continued character development through each subsequent novel while giving each individual book a satisfying ending.
I like Flynn’s writing style especially when he is interacting with his wife and the White House staff. Flynn lost me with the vast number of characters and subplots. Fortunately, there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book, that I need too often. When it’s necessary to flip back and forth from the story to the character list so often, it took me out of the story. It is frustrating. I didn’t expect the ending at all. Then, thinking about it a while, I suspect this is because this first book is free. My guess is this is used as a teaser to buy book two.
I like the story and premise well enough to add book two to my TBR list. However, if the second book ends with unresolved plots and/or a type of cliffhanger, I won’t continue. My favorite feature of this type of mystery series is the continued character development through each subsequent novel while giving each individual book a satisfying ending.
October 6, 2014
An interesting premise here that goes slightly askew. The setup is pretty cool as we are introduced to Jim McGill, the main character who is the "First Husband" to the US's first female president. He is affectionately known in the press as the first henchman but since there is no prior expectations for what a first husband should be like or what they should do, Jim, an ex-cop, decides to open up his own private detective agency. So the novel is part mystery/detective novel and part political thriller.
It was nice to see the first couple in action throughout the plot but I felt that the book suffered from way too many subplots and extraneous characters. Frankly, I got lost trying to keep track of who's who and lost some interest in most of the subplots. I also thought the logistics of the way the first husband was handled by the secret service detail was way more flexible than what would really happen but I suppose the author had to take liberties in order for any sort of plot to develop.
This is the first of a series and I do plan to continue reading them, at least the second one to see how that goes. Jim McGill is too much of an intriguing character to give up on without a second shot.
It was nice to see the first couple in action throughout the plot but I felt that the book suffered from way too many subplots and extraneous characters. Frankly, I got lost trying to keep track of who's who and lost some interest in most of the subplots. I also thought the logistics of the way the first husband was handled by the secret service detail was way more flexible than what would really happen but I suppose the author had to take liberties in order for any sort of plot to develop.
This is the first of a series and I do plan to continue reading them, at least the second one to see how that goes. Jim McGill is too much of an intriguing character to give up on without a second shot.
July 28, 2013
Fond of mysteries and thrillers? If so, this is one book that you will thoroughly enjoy.
In the world of Jim McGill, the improbable has happened. The U.S. now has its first female president, and by extension, its first First Gentleman. Government agencies - including the politicians, CIA, and the Secret Service - don't quite know how to treat him, especially when he insists in opening up his own private investigations business. Yup. The First Gentleman is a gumshoe, and his first client/case is a doozy. Not only does Jim McGill have to work his case, but he also has to contend with political fallout related to his past cases when he was a cop, as well as navigate through the quagmire of inflated egos, soaring ambitions and criminal intent that populates the hotbed known as Washington DC.
I am very pleasantly surprised to find this "freebie" to be so good. The way Mr. Flynn lead us through the story - showing snippets of what was happening in each character's sphere- was easy to follow and contributed greatly to building the suspense of the story. He brilliantly showed us just enough to keep us hooked and interested, and revealed the information at just the right moment.
He masterfully weaves the different components of his story so that individual story lines slowly blend into one cohesive plot line, and the sum of the parts become whole. I enjoyed meeting and knowing the characters to this series and I look forward to reading the second book, which I am purchasing right after I post this review.
In the world of Jim McGill, the improbable has happened. The U.S. now has its first female president, and by extension, its first First Gentleman. Government agencies - including the politicians, CIA, and the Secret Service - don't quite know how to treat him, especially when he insists in opening up his own private investigations business. Yup. The First Gentleman is a gumshoe, and his first client/case is a doozy. Not only does Jim McGill have to work his case, but he also has to contend with political fallout related to his past cases when he was a cop, as well as navigate through the quagmire of inflated egos, soaring ambitions and criminal intent that populates the hotbed known as Washington DC.
I am very pleasantly surprised to find this "freebie" to be so good. The way Mr. Flynn lead us through the story - showing snippets of what was happening in each character's sphere- was easy to follow and contributed greatly to building the suspense of the story. He brilliantly showed us just enough to keep us hooked and interested, and revealed the information at just the right moment.
He masterfully weaves the different components of his story so that individual story lines slowly blend into one cohesive plot line, and the sum of the parts become whole. I enjoyed meeting and knowing the characters to this series and I look forward to reading the second book, which I am purchasing right after I post this review.
December 28, 2013
For a book I got from Amazon Kindle for free, I was extremely happy with this book. It had all the action and fun and mystery I love in my books. The new female president's husband is an ex-cop turned PI and opens his own agency when they get to D.C. While she's running the country, he's trying to solve a crime. The only thing I didn't like about this book was there were too many subplots. So many that I forgot which plot was supposed to be the main one. And too many characters to try to keep track of. There was the plot of the potential court martial for a female Lieutenant Colonel for adultery and her lover, (or maybe it was Navy?), the General out for revenge for some reason that was never fully explained, the brand new OSI Air Force agent assigned to investigate, a Cuban crisis, a threat against the children of the husband (the president's second husband), an anti-abortion backstory, a Senator out to get the President, and what I think was the main plot, the development of some drug to create multiple personalities in people so they could be used in CIA assignments. But in spite of all the extra plots, I still found it very good and am looking forward to reading the next one in the series. I'm hoping it won't be as convoluted.
December 16, 2018
It sounded like fun, but I truly hated the characters I wasn't supposed to hate. The author seems to have no idea how the mind of a woman who can become president might work; she's going to need to be tougher and more ruthless than I think Flynn can deal with. (And the first scene with the president, Flynn has her look at herself in a mirror--was he working his way down the list of cliche things male writers do when they're writing female characters? The saving grace is that she doesn't describe her breasts.) I started to bail when the only personal mail the president read was one addressed to "Mrs. [husband's name]"; because even the leader of the free world would be somebody's little wifey at heart, right?
I finished bailing when I realized that I also detested the "henchman," who started early to show signs of toxic male jerk syndrome, courtesy of an author who thinks that the way to show how strong a male character is is to show him being a super tough guy who intimidates everybody, rather than an intelligent man who uses his brains.
Fun idea (surely more than one spouse of a president has wanted desperately to have a private career), but I think it needs a better writer than Flynn.
I finished bailing when I realized that I also detested the "henchman," who started early to show signs of toxic male jerk syndrome, courtesy of an author who thinks that the way to show how strong a male character is is to show him being a super tough guy who intimidates everybody, rather than an intelligent man who uses his brains.
Fun idea (surely more than one spouse of a president has wanted desperately to have a private career), but I think it needs a better writer than Flynn.
August 4, 2012
I won this novel in a Goodreads giveaway that introduced me to the works of Joseph Flynn. I LOVED this book, and plan on picking up others both in the Jim McGill series and his other books. The author teaches the reader to either love or hate the main characters and to identify with problems they face. In the case of Jim McGill, his love for his wife and children is pure, and in contrast to what he does to protect them at all costs. It's also refreshing to see a woman as president making decisions for a nation using not only intelligence, but compassion as well. Mr. Flynn, you have yourself a new fan!
July 25, 2018
A new series for me, I really enjoyed this. It introduces Jim McGill, the husband of the first female President, Patty Darden Grant. He's her second husband - her first husband was killed as the result of a terrorist bomb and McGill was the chief of police and investigated the murder. Now, McGill has decided to open an office as a private investigator and business is not exactly booming (well, at least after the lobbyists figured out that he wouldn't be getting them insider access to the president). He finally gets his first client, a media personality who's apparently being stalked. There's also a young Air Force OSI investigator who's drawn into a hot-potato case and needs a little backdoor advice from McGill. The author skillfully weaves the two stories together and comes to an exciting conclusion. My only criticism is the ending is a cliffhanger - this is a sneaky ploy to sell the next novel and dirty pool in my book. But I liked the story and so will probably look for the next installment sooner, rather than later.
Quotes to remember:
My profession is giving money away wisely.
Wisely must be the hard part...Like being a genie and not having the wishes you grant backfire.
If some smart-ass wants to underestimate you, encourage the SOB.
The North Shore's political views ranged from moderately liberal to liberally moderate.
If you loved your kids, you wanted them to make their own ways in life, but if all else failed, you were their safety net. For as long as you lived.
...after her death one of my favorite punishments for myself was to imagine in great detail the life Nan would never have.
Quotes to remember:
My profession is giving money away wisely.
Wisely must be the hard part...Like being a genie and not having the wishes you grant backfire.
If some smart-ass wants to underestimate you, encourage the SOB.
The North Shore's political views ranged from moderately liberal to liberally moderate.
If you loved your kids, you wanted them to make their own ways in life, but if all else failed, you were their safety net. For as long as you lived.
...after her death one of my favorite punishments for myself was to imagine in great detail the life Nan would never have.
October 29, 2022
The novel carries the delightful fantasy of the first female president, a moderate Republican (does that exist anymore?) who is married to an ex-cop democrat who continues his career as a PI even while being “first gentleman.” He describes himself as the president’s henchman. In this first book of the series, a deranged psychotherapist (I mean, you have to have one of those) is using drugs and hypnosis on people to change their basic personalities and hopes to sell this technique to the CIA. Henchman to the rescue! It was all right as vacation reading, but I wouldn’t bother reading more of the series.
May 3, 2020
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This is a great suspense with humor and wonderful characters. I am looking forward to reading the rest. Jim McGill is married to the first woman president. He used to be a Chicago cop and wants to keep from getting bored so he becomes a PI in D.C. There are many threats against him and his family and a bit of international intrigue and I loved it. The basketball game from hell was especially good. As was his defending himself with a paperweight, push pins and a stapler much to th
E surprise of his assailant.
This is a great suspense with humor and wonderful characters. I am looking forward to reading the rest. Jim McGill is married to the first woman president. He used to be a Chicago cop and wants to keep from getting bored so he becomes a PI in D.C. There are many threats against him and his family and a bit of international intrigue and I loved it. The basketball game from hell was especially good. As was his defending himself with a paperweight, push pins and a stapler much to th
E surprise of his assailant.
April 15, 2024
I won this book in a giveaway and I am so glad I did. This cover/title/topic isn’t something I would normally pick up from a shelf. Color me pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed every minute of it! I will say a recent complaint I’ve been having with other books are too many characters and plot lines that are disorganized, so when I saw that the first two pages of this book were a list of characters names and who they were, I was worried. Never once did I have to refer to those pages though! Characters were memorable. Individual character’s storylines were easy to follow. And suspense was so perfectly built throughout.
I’m well aware this is a series but man, when you give a novel this action packed, I didn’t expect to be left on such a cliffhanger! I audibly gasped!
I’m well aware this is a series but man, when you give a novel this action packed, I didn’t expect to be left on such a cliffhanger! I audibly gasped!
September 10, 2017
A great drama/crime novel. There is action in every chapter and I recommend this book to everyone.
December 30, 2024
Fair. Well written but overly complicated with way too many characters.
July 5, 2018
Kind of a mash-up of a political thriller and a PI novel. Good writing, good storytelling, but...just didn't work for me. A few of the story lines - and there are (too?) many - felt contrived, as did some of the characters. I liked this book, just not enough to read more in the series.
March 16, 2024
One of the Best!
I would give this book 12 stars if I could! I love Joseph Flynn & plan to read more of his books. I need to find out what's happening with his wife, the President, his kids, & his Secret Service man. Perfectly written, great style, & enjoyable sense of humor.
I would give this book 12 stars if I could! I love Joseph Flynn & plan to read more of his books. I need to find out what's happening with his wife, the President, his kids, & his Secret Service man. Perfectly written, great style, & enjoyable sense of humor.
September 2, 2017
Books are like strangers that we meet at social events. We do our best to size them up, decide if they're worth the investment of our time, but sometimes we get it wrong and are just glad when it's over. Books have the slight advantage of not getting their feelings hurt if we put them down, throw them away, or skim through them to get past the dull bits.
I finished this book mainly because I was hoping it would get better. It was pretty creative, in its own way. However, even though I did my best to ignore the consistent use of foul language and sexual references, I was never drawn to any of the characters. That made it hard to remain interested in the story.
I also didn't care for the way the timeline flipped around. I was skipping entire pages because I already wanted the book to be over and the added complexity of trying to keep track of past, present, who and where--well, it did nothing but make it more annoying.
I finished this book mainly because I was hoping it would get better. It was pretty creative, in its own way. However, even though I did my best to ignore the consistent use of foul language and sexual references, I was never drawn to any of the characters. That made it hard to remain interested in the story.
I also didn't care for the way the timeline flipped around. I was skipping entire pages because I already wanted the book to be over and the added complexity of trying to keep track of past, present, who and where--well, it did nothing but make it more annoying.
February 8, 2014
The first female president of the USA is a moderate Republican! Hard to image it considering the current political climate. She is beautiful, smart and wily and is faced with trouble in Cuba, an anti-abortion religious group who whose followers threaten the her step-children, and many political foes.
What do you call the president's husband? Many call him the president's henchman. He's a former cop and is a PI. He encounters those who threaten his children, a crazy and dangerous psychologist, and his wife's political foes.
This book was lots of fun and the ending leaves you wanting to read the next book in the series.
No sex
Violence: non graphic fights and a bombing
What do you call the president's husband? Many call him the president's henchman. He's a former cop and is a PI. He encounters those who threaten his children, a crazy and dangerous psychologist, and his wife's political foes.
This book was lots of fun and the ending leaves you wanting to read the next book in the series.
No sex
Violence: non graphic fights and a bombing
August 13, 2018
What a fun, fast read! Jim McGill was a Chicago cop who became Chief of Police in one of the northern suburbs. He met his wife while attempting to learn who threatened and ultimately killed her first husband. She was, at that time, a member of Congress, but was later elected to the Presidency. Prior to her election, she and McGill married. The plot is complex and multi-faceted and the characters fascinating. Even more interesting is the fact that the novel is not only a “thriller”, it is written with wit and a great deal of humor. Terrific reading!
December 21, 2022
5+++++++++++*stars REALLY!
FREE PRIME READ
AS I READ, I WONDERED, HAS THIS BOOK BEEN UPDATED? IF IT HASN'T IT'S WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME. WOW! LIKE HE TRAVELED TO THE FUTURE 2016-2022 (it was published in 2013). I GUESS POLITICS NEVER CHANGES JUST GETS WORST. I ALREADY LOVED THIS AUTHOR NOW I'M IN AWE. THIS WAS A CRAZY TWISTED TALE WITH SO MANY CHARACTERS IM GLAD THERE WAS A SCORE CARD IN THE BEGINNING. LOL! I HAD SHADES OF THAT OLD 1977 MOVIE "TELEFON". I LOVED IT AND YES, I DO REMEMBER RORY CALHOUN AND BEN CASEY WHO I HAD A SERIOUS CRUSH ON. ;D
FREE PRIME READ
AS I READ, I WONDERED, HAS THIS BOOK BEEN UPDATED? IF IT HASN'T IT'S WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME. WOW! LIKE HE TRAVELED TO THE FUTURE 2016-2022 (it was published in 2013). I GUESS POLITICS NEVER CHANGES JUST GETS WORST. I ALREADY LOVED THIS AUTHOR NOW I'M IN AWE. THIS WAS A CRAZY TWISTED TALE WITH SO MANY CHARACTERS IM GLAD THERE WAS A SCORE CARD IN THE BEGINNING. LOL! I HAD SHADES OF THAT OLD 1977 MOVIE "TELEFON". I LOVED IT AND YES, I DO REMEMBER RORY CALHOUN AND BEN CASEY WHO I HAD A SERIOUS CRUSH ON. ;D
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