A Simple Choice

A Simple Choice by David Pepper is a political thriller that is very believable. It has plenty of suspense, some action, lots of investigation, and an intensity that kept me fully engaged throughout the novel.

The setting moves frequently and includes stops in Maine, Ohio, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.

One of the nation’s oldest and most respected senators jumps from a cliff in his hometown in Maine. Politicians and the media inundate the town, determined to find out if foul play played a role. Palmer Knight, a television news correspondent covers the death and eventually uncovers a plot that goes beyond the Senate. Meanwhile, Army veteran and former Supreme Court clerk Amity Jones moved to Ohio to care for her cancer-afflicted mother. Her investigation into a local medical mystery brings her back into the political world. Eventually, she and Palmer connect and, working together, find a political conspiracy that places their lives and others in danger.

Palmer comes from a family with political connections. This has helped him get scoops in the past, but it also causes others to underestimate his investigative skills. Amity has been the caregiver in her family for much of her life. It started when her father died when she was eleven and her mother did not cope well for years. Now that her mother has cancer, she is once again taking on the role of caregiver and works for a boutique appellate law firm in Columbus, Ohio. Readers slowly get a feeling for both of their personalities and both are likeable. Both show character growth as the story unfolds.

A gripping storyline will grab readers’ attention in the first chapter and continues throughout the book. Plenty of suspense interspersed with exciting scenes pulled this reader into the conflicts in the novel. The author captures the characters, as well as the political situation, and brings them to life. Fluid writing and an excellent, fast-paced plot will keep readers engaged. The well-plotted story stays at a high level of intensity throughout most of the novel. Despite frequent changes in points of view and settings, this story flowed well. Danger, assaults, deaths, teamwork, politics, grief, family, medical conditions, and much more are woven into the story line.

Overall, this was an intense novel with suspense and intrigue. This story felt very realistic and like it could occur at any time in several countries. If you enjoy political thrillers, then I recommend that you check out this one. Will this be the start of a series featuring Amity and/or Palmer? Whatever it is, I am looking forward to reading this author’s next political thriller.

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and David Pepper provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 02, 2022.