What started out a little slow turned into a story that I couldn’t tear myself away from.The Dirty Secret was a political thriller, not something I have delved into before, I do feel that my lack of knowledge about American politics did hinder my understanding and almost killed my interest at the very beginning of the book. Wolfingbarger however explained enough within the first 100 pages that I was able to keep up after that, we also got to delve a little deeper into the criminal aspect of the story, something which I am more familiar with.The romance aspect of this story was probably the only element I couldn’t see a point to. Rikki wasn’t really a character I liked, she represented to me everything I don’t want to be, she was petty in that she kept a grudge against a man she supposedly loved for fifteen years, all because he took exams instead of rushing to her father’s bedside when he died, a quick death that wasn’t entirely expected. I can understand that it would hurt; I can’t understand holding onto that kind of pain for so long.The Dirty Secret was fantastically written, halfway through it had me at a point that I just couldn’t stop thinking about it, I love when an author can so seamlessly intertwine all of the characters together without some of them ever meeting and without it seeming forced or staged, everyone played an equal part for me, some of the bad guys I really liked and some of the good guys I couldn’t stand.The political aspect of this story, even though I don’t have an in-depth knowledge of the system was explained enough that I could follow. The legal aspect was the same, I enjoyed Wolfingbarger’s inclusion of some legalese, he doesn’t treat the reader like an idiot by skimming over some of the harder stuff, but he also doesn’t bore by adding too much, all of the themes were balanced out.The Dirty Secret at times seemed highly exaggerated to me, coming from a place where politicians are to be poked fun at, the thought that people die, or spend all of their time and money all for someone to sit in a fancy chair and give orders seemed farfetched. Thankfully though I do read the newspapers enough time know that it was true, but the sheer lengths that some of these people would go to had me shaking my head at times. Fights breaking out because of who someone votes for, it being a ‘sensitive issue’ added a little comedy for me personally.Wolfingbarger has created a thriller that kept me engrossed and intellectually stimulated – not something I can say for my regular reading material – his writing is fantastic although the point of view jumps at the beginning were a little hard to follow. The Dirty Secret had a slow, confusing start, but getting past the initial plot laying was well worth it.Find this review at storywings.com
The review was originally posted on my blog {Dive} Under the Cover.Never in a million years would I have thought I would enjoy a book like this. It's not likely that I would have picked it up on my own either. I was contacted by Brent Wolfingbarger a couple weeks ago, he asked if I would read and review it so I jumped at the chance to broaden my horizons a bit, or in this case a lot. There are a lot of things that I know next to nothing about and politics is one of them! I know that I am horribly uninformed, but I would like to think that I learned a little by reading this book.This book has is all, politics, intrigue, murder, adultery, bribery, blackmail, love. You name it, it's in there somewhere. The story starts moving pretty fast from the first chapter. There is a lot of information in the first 1/4 of the book. I ended up taking notes so I could remember who everyone was and what party they represented. Once I connected who was who and who they worked for, etc...it was much smoother reading. On a technical note, I think it would have been a smoother read if the author has chosen to refer to the characters always by the first or last name, instead of switching back and forth (this is why I started taking notes, to keep them all straight). Once I hit that spot where I had everyone figured out, though, I was hooked and I read nearly the last 300 pages in one sitting!There were a couple of characters that I really liked. I liked Rikki from the start. She reminded me so much of Ashika on a BBC show called Party Animals. It was about British politics, so it was even similar in theme. I knew even less about what was going on there! I also really liked Jack, he was hard not to like. Even though they supported opposing parties it was neat to see how well they got along in the midst of all of this. The whole plot of this story is woven together so well, the further the story goes the deeper and deeper these manipulations go. At first it seems like there are a couple of separate stories going on, but you soon realize that they are all going to tie in together. Every little thing that happens is part of the bigger scheme and all these seemingly "little" people are being pulled into this storm that's brewing in West Virginia. It's really well done and you won't believe how some of it comes together.If you are like me and you don't really know anything about politics you are going to learn a lot and even if you do know politics, I daresay you will still learn a thing or two. Brent Wolfingbarger knows his stuff and he's found a creative way to share it.I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes political thrillers. If you are like me and you know nothing about politics, though, this is a great way to learn a little more and read a great story at the same time.
Do You like book The Dirty Secret (2012)?
Reading this story in the midst of the election was especially entertaining. A Republican Governor and a Democratic Senator are vying for the title of President, and all that stands in their way is the state of West Virginia. This fight for votes goes way beyond hanging chads. Both sides are stretching their moral compass from corruption to foul play and everything in between. In the midst of the mad scramble for votes, several key players emerge. Each has a stake in the game. Dave Anderson is determined to see his friend, Governor Royal, become President. Along the way, he runs back into Rikki—his former love and a lawyer. She’s wrapped up in a lawsuit with her friend, State Senator Jack McCallen, who is trying to save his family business. Rikki and Dave are in opposite political camps, but they are drawn together to help Jack. Tragedy strikes and brings them even closer. In the end, many players attempt to manipulate the end result. And more is at stake than just the Presidency. Innocent people may get caught in the crossfire. Because there are so many important players in this story, the beginning was a bit confusing. I needed a character cheat sheet to keep up with who was who and their relevance. But not long into the book, the story took off and kept me interested and engaged. Every time I thought I figured something out, there was another twist. But it’s not just a political thriller. I found the embedded love story of Rikki and Dave just as compelling. Often these types of books go for intrigue over character development. Here, the author does an excellent job of building characters and story while also keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a thrilling ride with characters as interesting as the storyline. Note: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
—Tia Bach
This book has so many elements of twists, turns and surprise! I'm not much of a person for politics or law, but this book was easy to follow and made sense to me. The political and legal jargon was used in ways that made it understandable so as to comprehend the different things being played out in the book. I like how the characters started off independent and then converged on a single scheme. This book has everything, from conspiracy to love, and from scandal to murder; just when you think you know what's going to happen, you're taken to a fork in the road.
—Deneé
I’m going to say 5 Stars out of 5: Maybe teen audiences won’t get some of the political subtext (though I’ve known some pretty sharp teenagers) but I really can’t think of much to criticize about this book. Great characters, great plot, great focus and an interesting treatment of politics, some really enjoyable dialogue and well-executed action. It’s a complex book without being overly complicated, and people looking for a read with some interesting ideas, some interesting characters, or a nice fast-paced plot that doesn’t feel like something you’ve already read a handful of times, this is a great choice. Mr. Wolfingbarger seems way more interested in showing the dimensions of political life instead of touting or defending any one perspective, and if there’s a cynicism to the portrayal of the American political system, it’s at least a cynicism that most people will probably relate to. Read the full review at www.theunboundunderground.com
—Unbound Underground
