Review of THE LATEST BOMBSHELL by Michele Mitchell (see her website)

Henry Holt and Company, June 2003

The Chinese have been buying more U.S. military secrets and this time the government has picked the perfect man to take the fall. Reporter Lyle Gold isn't liked by anyone, has annoyed the military on a number of occasions, and he could be the traitor. A few leaks, some political wheeling and dealing, and some post-9/11 rushing to judgement and there's no one in the country who will take Gold's case. But political consultant Kate Boothe has been out of the country. She dated Gold years before and knows that he didn't care enough about money to sell his country for more. She doesn't realize the extent to which the nation needs Gold as a scapegoat for everything that has gone wrong and agrees to work for him. What she doesn't realize is that too many people have a stake in Gold's guilt--and are prepared to take whatever steps necessary to make sure that no one raises too many questions.

Author Michele Mitchell knows her Washington D.C. politics. The who-do-you-know and where can you take me atmosphere of D.C. comes through solidly. She also grasps our national intolerance for uncertainty. If the Pentagon says Gold is guilty, only a traitor would believe him innocent--right? More importantly, though, Mitchell writes a compelling story. Kate Boothe is a sympathetic heroine, with her fears that her boyfriend has abandoned her for the latest blonde, her concerns over what her mother will think when political operatives taint her as a slut, and outright fear when the IRS breaths down her neck after being unleashed by an aggressive White House.

Warning--THE LATEST BOMBSHELL has little sympathy for talk radio, Attorneys General who take their guidance from the Old Testament rather than from the U.S. Constitution, or those who believe that our basic rights must be thrown away to protect Americanism. Even if you don't like the politics, though, the novel is worth reading for its insights into the way the U.S. government is run--and for its intriguing lead character. Very nice.

Four Stars

Reviewed 7/07/03

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