by Matt Richtel
First published 2012
A former journalist carries the weight of his ruined career as America prepares to vote for its next president. He discovers a conspiracy built around sophisticated computer software designed to dig up dirt on politicians and expose their secrets to the public. The program threatens to swing the election and reshape how American politics works forever. Someone wants him to investigate this digital plot, but he struggles with whether he has the energy or desire to chase another story. The conspiracy grows larger as he digs deeper, forcing him to decide if stopping it matters enough to pull himself back into the world that destroyed him. His cynicism battles against the stakes of what could happen if he walks away. The election approaches while he wrestles with his own demons and the question of whether American democracy deserves saving.
Genres: american-fiction, suspense, 21st-century, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cynical-protagonist, investigative-journalism
Setting: America
Period: Present Day
288 pages · Kindle Edition · Harper