The debut political thriller from Jake Tapper, CNN's chief Washington correspondent and the New York Times bestselling author of The Outpost-- 1950's D.C. intrigue about a secret society and a young Congressman in its grip
Charlie Marder is an unlikely Congressman. Thrust into office by his family ties after his predecessor died mysteriously, Charlie is struggling to navigate the dangerous waters of 1950's Washington, DC, alongside his young wife Margaret, a zoologist with ambitions of her own. Amid the swirl of glamorous and powerful political leaders and deal makers, a mysterious fatal car accident thrusts Charlie and Margaret into an underworld of backroom deals, secret societies, and a plot that could change the course of history. When Charlie discovers a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of governance, he has to fight not only for his principles and his newfound political career...but for his life.
Reviews -
"This is a remarkably accomplished effort, especially for a first novel, very much like a Brad Meltzer thriller: energetic and mysterious, with plenty of suspense and a general feeling of evil lurking just barely behind the scenes. Tapper brings an expert's eye to the novel, too, layering it with the kind of detailed political knowledge that only someone with his first-hand experience could bring to the story. An auspicious debut."― Booklist
"Fiction is as suspenseful as truth in Jake Tapper's The Hellfire Club" ― Vanity Fair
"CNN's Jake Tapper proves he has the page-turning knack in his entertaining debut novel" ― Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today
"Insightful... Tapper takes readers back to a Washington remembered for being a time of distrust and potential future conflicts. Key historical figures interact with Tapper's fictional characters, and with his sources at the end of the novel showcasing his research, it almost feels like everything actually happened. It is fiction, however, well-written and worthwhile." ― Jeff Ayers, The Associated Press
"[The Hellfire Club] has the best qualities of this sort of historical fiction, which include the winking perspective of the present." ― Ben Smith, BuzzFeed
"An ambitious debut, a meticulously researched work of historical fiction with a byzantine plot punctuated by explosive, Dan Brown-esque twists" ― Alexandra Alter, New York Times
"a splashy, swampy page-turner [that] plunges readers into the heart of '50's Washington, D.C. The book showcases Tapper's passion for American political history, rich as it is with fascinating period details, as well as his feel for a story well-told." ― David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly
Charlie Marder is an unlikely Congressman. Thrust into office by his family ties after his predecessor died mysteriously, Charlie is struggling to navigate the dangerous waters of 1950's Washington, DC, alongside his young wife Margaret, a zoologist with ambitions of her own. Amid the swirl of glamorous and powerful political leaders and deal makers, a mysterious fatal car accident thrusts Charlie and Margaret into an underworld of backroom deals, secret societies, and a plot that could change the course of history. When Charlie discovers a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of governance, he has to fight not only for his principles and his newfound political career...but for his life.
Reviews -
"This is a remarkably accomplished effort, especially for a first novel, very much like a Brad Meltzer thriller: energetic and mysterious, with plenty of suspense and a general feeling of evil lurking just barely behind the scenes. Tapper brings an expert's eye to the novel, too, layering it with the kind of detailed political knowledge that only someone with his first-hand experience could bring to the story. An auspicious debut."― Booklist
"Fiction is as suspenseful as truth in Jake Tapper's The Hellfire Club" ― Vanity Fair
"CNN's Jake Tapper proves he has the page-turning knack in his entertaining debut novel" ― Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today
"Insightful... Tapper takes readers back to a Washington remembered for being a time of distrust and potential future conflicts. Key historical figures interact with Tapper's fictional characters, and with his sources at the end of the novel showcasing his research, it almost feels like everything actually happened. It is fiction, however, well-written and worthwhile." ― Jeff Ayers, The Associated Press
"[The Hellfire Club] has the best qualities of this sort of historical fiction, which include the winking perspective of the present." ― Ben Smith, BuzzFeed
"An ambitious debut, a meticulously researched work of historical fiction with a byzantine plot punctuated by explosive, Dan Brown-esque twists" ― Alexandra Alter, New York Times
"a splashy, swampy page-turner [that] plunges readers into the heart of '50's Washington, D.C. The book showcases Tapper's passion for American political history, rich as it is with fascinating period details, as well as his feel for a story well-told." ― David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly