The Sentinel

"The Sentinel" is vintage Petievich. This is a tough, uncompromising depiction of the Secret Service's highest visibility law enforcement program under maximum stress. Characters include a variety of duplicitous White House denizens and toadies, protected by ambitious, self-serving Secret Service agents and officials. The principals misbehave and have things to hide. Extra-marital activity is a big problem. The Ten Commandments are out, the Seven Deadly Sins are in. To achieve their plans, flawed (and sometimes outright criminal) officials who run Petievich's Secret Service must somehow outsmart the system of repetitive checks and audit trails built into the agency's intimidatingly thorough security design. The basic honesty and competence of individual agents prove to be an obstacle, too. To find out whether the system prevails under this assault, read the book. Critics/readers who find the plot line "a stretch" should lighten up and enjoy the ride. Embrace conspiracy and paranoia. After Oklahoma City and Waco, the extra-marital conduct of high-visibility public officials (Clinton, Gingrich, Giuliani, Condit, ad nauseum), September 11, and the documented treason of homegrown moles in the FBI and CIA - it's hard to visualize any fictional event that should be excluded as improbable.It's past time for the return of ex-Special Agent Petievich, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Military Intelligence (where was he? Guess #1: he was running Treasury's Witness Protection Program under an assumed name; or Guess #2: he was, himself, a witness in hiding). No matter - welcome back....

Or, maybe he never left. I hadn't seen any of his titles since Earth Angel and wondered if he had gone on to other interests. Then, I saw his name on the cover from halfway across the local Barnes & Noble. I grabbed the book and didn't even open it until I had gone through the check out and driven home. After that, I settled into one of the most enjoyable tales I've read in a long time. Gerald Petievich's inside knowledge of law enforcement makes this book come alive in several different ways and directions, all at once. His protagonist, Special Agent Pete Garrison, is believable, attractive, and action-oriented, a character the reader 'pulls for' throughout the entire book. Plot twists lurk in unexpected places, and every page is an absolute banquet of inside information and character development. I have been a fan since reading "To Live and Die in L. A." and I believe that this writer just gets better with each book. Highly recommended.

Fans of To Live and Die in L.A will be anxious to read Gerald Petievich's latest book. A great read, this book features a tightly woven plot centered in Washington,DC as a Secret Service agent fights against time to protect the President. Petievich kept leading me down paths before revealing that I'd made false assumptions. I read this book in one sitting -- that's how good it is.

His fans will be happy to hear that Gerald Petievich's Sentinel measures up to the quality writing they found in To Live and Die in LA, Paramour, and Earth Angels. Fast-paced and well-plotted, this book takes the reader through tense adventure on both coasts as the protagonist, Secret Service Agent Pete Garrison, faces off the Aryan Disciples, blackmailers, and enemies within the White House as he struggles to protect the President. No wonder Michael Douglas bought the screen rights to this book.