A tragic accident
takes the lives of six children. They are burned to death when an
out-of-control tractor-trailer slams into the family van. This
horrific accident begins the story of corruption and politics in the
world of Chicago and Illinois. The political corruption emerges when
the driver of the tractor-trailer confesses that he bought his
license from the DMV for a contribution to a political fund-raiser
and a bribe.
This view of the
disastrous consequences of corruption begins the story of the rise to
power of the first African American President. The details of
corruption brought about by the quest for money and power come right
out of the pages of the newspapers, if anyone is looking. I was
fascinated by the detail the author brings to the story. He doesn't
give any relief from the ugly facts of how politicians get into
office, including the highest office.
This book is
fiction, but in many cases thinly veils the actual happenings that
you see on the news. Politics is a corrupt game. The people we elect
are often not what they seem and their desire is not to do the best
for the citizens of the country, but to get their share and enforce
their will on the country.
This book is a
page-turner. The author gives us characters, particularly Mars
Gregory, a man close to, but not really part of events. He watches in
disbelief as his partner and the other players do things to gain
their ends that at the beginning of the novel he would have found
unbelievable.
I thoroughly enjoyed
this book. If you're a political junkie, it's a must-read. If you
want an education in the seamy underside of politics, this book will
open your eyes and have you listening to the news more critically.
I received this book
from Net Galley for the review.
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