Power Play
Catherine Coulter
Putnam Publishers
July 8, 2014
Power Play by best-selling author Catherine Coulter is a very fun read. This thriller once again headlines FBI characters Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock. As with all of her books she has two very suspenseful plot lines. Yet, just when the reader has about all the intensity they can manage she writes in a welcoming relief with very humorous banter between the characters.
It becomes obvious through her storylines that she has the upmost respect for these agents that put their lives on the line to protect Americans. In this latest novel one plot has Natalie Black, the US ambassador to the Court of St. James returning to Washington in scandal. After her British fiancé dies in a mysterious car accident rumors begin that she was indirectly responsible. Shortly afterward she claims someone tried to force her off the road just outside London. After arriving back in the US she is nearly killed when a car attempts to mow her down. Other than her daughter Perry, not many believe her except FBI Special Agent Davis Sullivan, whom readers might remember from another FBI thriller, Bombshell. As the attempted murders intensify so does the plot where Davis, Savich, and Sherlock search for clues to find those responsible.
If this were not enough a sub-plot has someone stalking Sherlock. The stalker seems to be escalating to murder. Who is it and why are doing this? Savich and Sherlock must find out before this psychopathic killer from the book KnockOut kills her.
A side story involves Perry Black, the daughter of Natalie, whose job is covering the Washington Redskins for the Post. These scenes involving football are enjoyable to fans of the sport. Perry describes Tim Tebow as “the Sea Biscuit of the NFL,” and wishes he changed his position to a tight end.
The protagonists are very likable while the antagonists are very unlikable. Anyone reading this book will wish that Natalie Black, the US Ambassador, would run for President since she is the type of personality that Americans would want as their first female President. She represents the modern day woman who has spunk, intelligence, warmth, and great intuition. Davis Sullivan is a take no prisoners kind of guy who is cocky, smart, and funny. He has definitely met his match in Natalie’s daughter, Perry.
Another character, Nicholas Drummond, the main character in Coulter’s new series, A Brit in the FBI, is an agent-in-training at the FBI Academy. He makes several appearances in Power Play. The reader will see him in a starring role in The Lost Key, published on September 30th. The plot has he and his partner Mike Caine quickly discovering that a stabbing on Wall Street leads to stopping a madman who is after a weapon that could destroy the world.
Besides having the utmost respect for the FBI, Coulter also admires those men and women who have served and are serving this country. She is doing a book signing on the USS Midway to help veterans and their families. She will be one of many authors at the military book fair (http://www.militarybookfair.org/) in San Diego on November 8th, and is hoping people will come out to say hello.
Power Play is an entertaining book with a lot of twists and turns including throwing the reader a major curve ball. It is a page-turner that the reader will not want to put down.
Elise Cooper
