Pursuit-Karen Robards

Pursuit
Karen Robards
Putnam, Mar 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780399155420

Partner in the most prestigious law firm in DC, John Davenport tells associate attorney Jessica Ford to get FLOTUS out of the Harrington Hotel bar and into the waiting limousine. While wondering where the Secret Service is, Jessica gets Annette Cooper to cooperate and enter the limousine.

Not long afterward, the limousine is in an accident. FLOTUS, Secret Service Agent Will Prescott and the chauffeur are dead; Jessica survives. While the world is shocked, President David Cooper grieves the death of his wife obtaining emotional support from the First Father. At the hospital, someone tries to kill Jessica, who knows the crash was not an accident. Everyone tells her she hallucinated, but Mark has proof something happened and believes someone wants Jess dead. Although her memory of the accident is incomplete; when she learns of Prescott’s death in the crash, she knows he was not in the vehicle with them. She distrusts everyone except her family; not even Mark whom she has been attracted to from seeing him with FLOTUS at her boss’ office. Soon afterward as someone tries to kill Jess again, John dies of a heart attack and his secretary in a car accident. Jess has no one to help her except perhaps Mark, whom in spite of her attraction she has doubts about his agenda.

PURSUIT is a fast-paced romantic suspense political thriller that fans of Karen Robards, especially conspiracy buffs (particularly those who believe the Clintons killed Vincent Foster), will appreciate. Jess is a terrific lead character who fears not only she has no one to help her, but that she is bringing danger to her family and that the killer has gotten away with murder. Mark needs to know the truth starting with how FLOTUS left “18 Acres” (White House) without at least an agent at her side. His mission changes to protect Jess whom he is falling in love with although their attraction is a distraction. Though over the top of the Washington Monument Karen Robards provides a thrilling tense tale.

Harriet Klausner