Shelley's Heart

Book excerpt: When doubt is cast on a presidential election, it sets off an “intricate, skillfully spun” tale of intrigue in this near-future political thriller (Publishers Weekly). At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the CIA has been disbanded and a secret society has taken hold of powerful positions across Washington. After a long and contentious campaign, President Bedford Lockwood is celebrating his reelection. But the revelry is cut short when it’s discovered that his over-zealous aides may have tampered with the vote. On the eve of the Inauguration, Lockwood’s rival—the archconservative Franklin Mallory—presents evidence of fraud. When Lockwood refuses to take the oath of office, it sets in motion a series of events that may destroy him, his party, and the Constitution. From this catastrophic crisis, acclaimed author and former Washington journalist Charles McCarry weaves a smart, tense, and eerily prescient political thriller.