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Political Suicide: Review and Giveaway

Political Suicide is a medical/political thriller by Michael Palmer that launches Tuesday 12-11-12. I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy, and it looks like I have more Michael Palmer novels to catch up on!

As a psychologist, I have treated physicians and other professionals who are recovering from addictions, so I found this novel intriguing from the start.


Political SuicidePolitical Suicide by Michael Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful Suspense!

What would you do if a friend gets accused of murder, but you don't think he did it?

When the hero of the military/political thriller Political Suicide faces that exact dilemma, he proves that he is not one to back down from a challenge. Dr. Lou Welcome has battled through many challenges in his life -- the biggest being the daily struggle to stay clean and sober. He helps other physicians through drug rehab and re-entry into medical practice.

Gary McHugh is one such physician who calls Lou after falling off the wagon. Unfortunately, Gary's alcohol blackout may or may not have included killing a U.S. senator.

When Lou seeks justice for his friend, it's tough to see clearly through the miasma covering an elite Special Forces unit called Mantis Company. There just might be a deadly conspiracy with this military unit, waiting to be uncovered. And when Lou tries to find the truth, he becomes the target.

The suspense in this novel is top-notch. One scene involving a frothing-at-the-mouth guard dog had me quite on edge, nervous for Lou. I like the realism of Lou's character. He's tough, caring, and clever, yet he's definitely not perfect. Lou makes a major mistake at one point, enraging Gary's attorney Sarah. Will he redeem himself?

There's also a cast of well-drawn supporting characters, including Lou's daughter Emily, his AA sponsor and trainer Cap, and his cat Diversity. Lou and attorney Sarah team up and track down Edith, who's already suffered the consequences of the deadly conspiracy. Edith is feisty and competent.

Unfortunately I didn't feel very emotionally connected to Lou. He's a good guy, but there just seemed to be something missing. The romance that sparks up between Lou and Sarah didn't feel compelling to me, but this is more of a thriller than a romance (and I typically read romance novels).

I enjoyed the twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

St. Martin's Press provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews


***St. Martin's Press is GIVING AWAY a signed print copy of Political Suicide to a lucky winner!

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address. If you like, you can answer this question:

Do you believe alcohol/drug addiction is a biological illness?


And did you know that my publisher Omnific is giving away THREE kindles loaded with our books? Enter HERE.

Comments

Nicki Elson said…
I suppose it's hard for us romantic types to not want more from a romance that's secondary to plot, but I'm okay with it when the rest of the plot is intriguing enough and this one definitely sounds like it is!

As for your question. I think...I think some people do have a biological tendency toward alcohol/drug addiction, but I don't believe it's strictly biological, i.e. it seems to me people can become addicted even if they're not biologically pre-disposed.
Jennifer Lane said…
Nicki, I agree it's difficult to say it's purely biology or free choice--I think it's both. Interesting idea about individuals becoming addicted even when not biologically predisposed.

See ya later, you romantic type!
Jennifer Lane said…
I received an email notifying me of this comment but the comment hasn't shown up yet, so here it is:

"Michael Palmer is always great, he is one of my most favorite suspense writers, so I know by your review and his past books that this will be great!


Yes, I believe there is a biological tendency for addiction. I think it would probably help people to know that they have it when they are old enough to understand what it means.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com "
Cherie Reich said…
This does look like a really good book! Thanks for the review!
F. Stone said…
Hi Jen. I enjoyed your review. Plot driven novels are high on my criteria when choosing a book to read. However, if I don't care about the characters, I can put the book down. I'm in the middle of reading Streamline and loving it. The two main characters have got me hooked. It's a challenge for me to read in that it's rather "close to home" and stirs up memories I'd rather forget. However, since I'm hoping for a happy ending, I read on. The only other hinderance is a wee puppy that's defying me in the area of house training. Have to constantly stalking the wee thing.

Regarding your question about alcoholism being a biological illness - it appears there is a greater risk of becoming an alcoholic if your ancestors suffered from that illness, though from what I've read, the illness is more likely to affect the male members of the family.



Kim Reisdorf said…
This looks like an interesting read. Something deep that would take me awhile to read because i would have to think about it a lot. Kimmotzer@hotmail.com
Cherie Colyer said…
Great review. I like books that have a twist and that I can't predict. Always a plus in my book. Thanks for making me aware of this one!
Jennifer Lane said…
Cherie Reich, thank you for stopping by! Would you like to be entered in the giveaway?
Jennifer Lane said…
Feather, I like a good plot but I love great characters.

It saddens me to hear that you can relate to some of the painful stuff in Streamline. I'm pleased you're enjoying it.

You are correct that men have more of a problem with substance abuse than women, and women have more of a problem (at least what's reported) with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Jennifer Lane said…
Kim, it was indeed thought-provoking. Good luck on the giveaway!
Jennifer Lane said…
Hi Cherie! If there's a twist, you can bet it will surprise me ha ha. I never see them coming!