Grass Roots

August 1, 1989
Three compelling plot lines are woven into a tautly drawn suspense novel by the author of Chiefs ; not a whodunit or a howdunit, but a how-does-it-all-connect. After years as chief of staff for a venerable Georgia senator, Will Lee decides to run for the seat himself when a stroke cripples his mentor. Standing in his way are an ambitious governor in the Democratic primary and, possibly, a far-right fundamentalist in the general election. In addition, Will must interrupt his campaign to serve as the defense lawyer in a controversial race-murder trial, while elsewhere, a dedicated ex-cop pursues the head of a Klan-like vigilante group that's been carrying out gangland-style killings. Woods builds these plots to reach their climaxes--an election, a verdict and a shoot-out--simultaneously, and links the stories with an ingenuity that runs out of steam only in the final few chapters. Nonetheless, his headlong storytelling style is stoked with enough sex and violence to ignite a TV miniseries. Major ad/promo; author tour.

Will Lee is running for the U.S. Senate. His life is an open book--all but the romantic part. The woman in his life is a CIA operative, so secrecy is imperative. His opponents are part of a network of right-wing conservatives, white supremacists, and nutcases. Barrett Whitener's performance makes this as engrossing and believable a tale as it can be, although certain plot elements stretch credibility. Hate crimes, racism, and politics allow Whitener to create an assortment of intriguing characters. His energy and expertise take us through high-speed car chases, dangerous stakeouts, and a thrilling election campaign. With its neatly tied-up ends, Stuart Woods knows how to spin a yarn to capture even the most blasé listener, and Whitener makes it happen. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine