Review: I thought that Keith Donaldson did a very good job at developing his leading character to be a strong female lead. However, outside of that, I didn't think that the other main characters were fleshed out as well and I had trouble trying to visualize them over the course of the novel. Sometimes, the supporting characters were not given enough background development and I had a hard time understanding their motives or actions.Donaldson states at the end of the novel that he first wrote this as a screen play and that helps me to understand some of the issues that I had with this. First off, the lead character is always written in first person point of view. That is okay, but sometimes the author forgets that you only see or feel things through that character and would state what the other character in the scene was thinking. In first person, you can't do that. All the other scenes in the novel are written in third person point of view, which is fine. I wish that Donaldson would have just stuck with third person for the whole novel, since it would have made it a much easier read. The other main issue that I had with this novel was that it had over 100 chapters in it. Some of the chapters were less than a page long. This is just a pet-peeve of mine, but by doing that, it makes it a much faster read and choppy at times. Nothing seemed to get developed and I was using too much of my own imagination filling the spaces in between the main storyline. However, even though the plot was not entirely original, sex scandal in the White House, it did have a few twists and turns here and there that made it enjoyable. Again, I liked the strong female lead and how the characters themselves seemed realistic and not entirely fictional. I enjoyed this novel and felt that it was an entertaining read.If you are someone who likes a good, old-fashioned political scandal murder mystery, then this book is for you. If you are into a more modern or fresh approach to a political murder mystery, then this book isn't for you. Rating: 3 stars out of 5I was given a copy of this book by the author via Bostick Communications; I was not paid to review this book.www.thepensivechronicler.blogspot.com
This is a well-written, reasonable paced novel. The characters are interesting but, other than the lead, not particularly well developed. The plot was interesting and the resolution a surprise (at least to me). My main problem was the relationship between the heroine (a reporter) and the chief of homicide. I found their cozy relationship and sharing of information to be somewhat unrealistic and, at times, irritating. I'm not sure how real-world that is and it forms the basis for the entire book. However, I will likely try another book in this series before I decide if I am a fan.
