Book reviews
“The Washington Decree,” Jussi Adler-Olsen’s latest novel to be published in the United States, tells the compelling and sad story of Bruce Jansen, a senator who experienced tragedy years earlier, and the young people who were there who bonded with him and became his advocates and trusted allies. When he’s elected president of the United States, another tragedy strikes that would destroy most men – but he isn’t like most men.
Soon a trial begins, and while Jansen waits for the truth to reveal itself, he starts crafting a series of presidential orders and pushing laws through Congress that impede the rights of citizens. Lawmakers want to give him the benefit of the doubt since he’s still grieving, but his actions soon turn America into a chaotic and frightening nation, with a man at the helm who is possibly pursuing a dictatorship.
Soon the laws include gun restrictions, checkpoints in major cities and censorship of the media. The country and the lives of every citizen are at risk if nothing is done to stop Jansen and his bold initiatives.
The novel’s vast cast of characters showcases the turbulent fight for justice and what’s right for the country, while some use the power struggle for their own purposes. In the midst of this horror is a beacon of hope.
Adler-Olsen writes as if he’s lived in the United States his entire life, and the novel reads as if it were written recently, not years ago. This thought-provoking and timely political thriller shows the author can craft more than compelling crime scenarios.
‘Tailspin’
In “Tailspin” by Sandra Brown, Rye Mallett has a talent for flying planes, and his piloting skills have gotten him out of many jams. One night during a particularly nasty storm that has shut down the Atlanta airport, he’s asked to deliver a black box to a Dr. Lambert, since the material inside is time sensitive. When he’s about to land, a sabotage attempt forces him to crash land. He survives with hardly a scratch, but his luck changes when a woman shows up claiming to represent Lambert and wanting the black box.
Dr. Brynn O’Neal refuses to say what’s in the box, but assures him it’s critical that it reach its destination on time. Mallett doesn’t know if he can trust her, but with the act of bringing down his plane and trying to kill him fresh in his mind, he decides to take the leap and help her make the delivery. There are some nasty people with powerful connections who want the contents for their own purposes, even if it means killing Mallett and O’Neal.
Brown knows how to craft roguish but loveable men with likable independent women, and “Tailspin” is no exception. The mystery of the contents of the box provides an intriguing and puzzling thriller. Fans of Sandra Brown will enjoy this one, and those who admire thrillers with a dose of romance and sex should jump headfirst into this book.