First published 1979
This 1979 political novel from Lynne Cheney explores the corridors of Washington power through the eyes of its characters navigating the treacherous world of government secrecy and constitutional privilege. The story unfolds against the backdrop of political machinations where personal ambitions collide with public duty. Characters find themselves caught between loyalty and principle as they wrestle with the limits of executive authority. The novel examines how the protection of presidential prerogatives can both shield necessary governance and conceal dangerous abuses. At its heart, this is a story about the price of power and the moral compromises demanded by political survival in the nation's capital.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, political-science, political-thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-dilemma, power-struggle
Setting: Washington
Period: 1979
288 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster