Deep Background

I am a great fan of thrillers and this is just top drawer. David combines the smartest of prose with the greatest dose of real-life inside-the beltway insight. When my very favorite, Ross Thomas, passed away a few years ago I was sure he could never be replaced. Hey.. Ross.. old buddy, catch this!

This book hits the ground running. It doesn't allow you the typical expository, introductory period. Instead, it completely sweeps you away, practically from the very first page, into one of the more interesting and creative mystery storylines that you will ever read.I felt completed engrossed by its stunningly realistic views into the inner workings of a presidential administration. The dialogue was so natural and the setting descriptions so vivid, that I often forgot that this was a novel. It felt more like I was actually witnessing events that were not meant to been seen by a Washington outsider, such as myself. Quite an accomplishment for a first time novelist. Watch out, Clancy, there's a newcomer on the block.

Who is this David Corn guy and where has he been hiding? Well, regardless of where he's been, he's here now. And he has written a breathtaking, heartstopping political thriller--perhaps the best Washington-insider novel since Jim Grady's "Six Days of the Condor," which was cut in half for the Robert Redford movie. Who will play Nick Addis in the film that will surely be made from Corn's "Deep Background"?

This is a good one! Corn, the Washington editor of The Nation, makes effective use of his insider perspective, not to mention the D.C. locale. You'll have fun deciphering the references to classic political literature (where DID he get the idea for the stuttering faithful retainer). The roman a clef aspects come at you like a Pedro Martinez change-up; for example, the Clintonesque president is a Vietnam hero, not a draft evader.Well-paced, written with a reporter's eye, and sophisticated, Deep Background is an all too believable account of the aftermath of a political assassination. Hang on tight as presential aide Nick Addis, CIA analyst Julia Lancette, and discredit Secret Service chief Clarence follow paths that ultimately converge on the inevitable, disillusioning truth.

David Corn is one great writer. The intrigue and suspense kept me gripped until the end. I can't wait for his next thriller!