A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer

We're getting ready for Hurricane Sandy here in RI...and that will probably mean losing power for awhile. To East Coast readers: stay safe! 

Read while home alone? sure

Tissues needed? nope

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:

President James Allaire’s first State of the Union address of his second term of office is off to a great start when he and everyone else in the Capitol is exposed to a deadly virus. Allaire has to be a leader rather than a politician and make some tough choices for national security, including thwarting a domestic terrorist group, looking for a cure, and dealing with a power-hungry Speaker of the House. Allaire’s Homeland Security Secretary is the “Designated Survivor” who is NOT at the Capitol and finds himself A Heartbeat Away from the presidency. Will he step up to the role?

Reaction:

There’s a lot of action packed into this political thriller! There were some intriguing stories intertwined to make a full picture of a worst case scenario. A few parts were a bit slow-moving, but overall A Heartbeat Away was a page-turner for me, especially since I’m pretty interested in American politics. I also enjoyed it because my friend Amy gave me this book a few months ago when we had a girls’ weekend. She finished reading it, loved it, and passed it along…thanks, Amy! She found it at a used bookstore, so I’m not sure how available it is, but if you like politics or action fiction…definitely seek out A Heartbeat Away!

Do you ever think about the “what if” during the State of the Union addresses? Can you imagine being #18 in the line of presidential succession…and then being thrust into the #1 spot? Do you like political stories as much as I do??