The Candidate

August 29, 2016
In this predictable second installment of the Newsmakers series, Wiehl continues to follow the career of GNN cable news host Erica Sparks. Her recent ratings slip puts her career at GNN in jeopardy, and she becomes laser-focused on breaking a big story. When a favored presidential hopeful and his wife survive a bombing just minutes before an important primary debateâand just feet from where Sparks is reportingâall she sees is opportunity. As she investigates the bombing, Sparks becomes disturbed by the Svengali-like control that billionaire businesswoman Celeste Ortiz seems to have over her husband, the now presumptive Democratic nominee. Sparks is extremely unsympathetic heroine, as her devotion to her career trumps everything elseâincluding her daughter, her fiancé, and the safety of others. Wiehl's portrayals include unambiguous evil and Sparks is singularly focused on exposing truth, with little else to round out her personality. Readers familiar with The Manchurian Candidate will no doubt anticipate the outcome early on. Agent: Todd Shuster.

November 1, 2016

This second series installment (following The Newsmakers) sees reporter Erica Sparks observing how one of the presidential candidates seems overly reliant on his wife. Erica's curiosity is piqued, but as she closes in on the truth, more people die. The sometimes graphic violence depicted here makes this edgier read a great pick for thriller fans.

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