I received this ebook from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
~ It seems as though Beecher White has a perfectly ordinary job working for the National Archives in Washington D.C. He has a much more secretive role however, that only a few know about. Beecher is a member of the Culper Ring, a 200-year old spy organization founded by none other than George Washington. One of their main functions is to protect the Presidency at all costs. When the First Lady stumbles across a buried severed arm, the President and his team turn to Beecher for help. It’s soon evident though that the arm and it’s enclosed message isn’t for the President, but for Beecher himself.
When I first requested this from NetGalley I didn’t realize that it was the 3rd book in a series, but despite some references to events in the previous two books, I was able to follow along.
The action begins immediately with the discovery of the severed arm in a small garden adjacent to the White House. As Beecher begins investigating, he discovers that what ever is going on, it’s tied to the mystery of his father’s death, and a long-held, closely guarded conspiracy. From there, you’re taken through twists and turns involving the President, the FBI, and the military. The story switches back and forth from the present day, to when Beecher’s father was in the military, but I was never left feeling confused. Linking both timelines is the deranged murderer who no one seems to be able to catch.
Beecher is a likeable character who, because of the events which took place in the previous two books, shoulders a lot of responsibility for someone only in his twenties. He’s a little too trusting, but he’s determined to uncover the truth. The problem is, it’s difficult to know who to trust in this thriller, as everyone seems to have their own hidden agendas, from the President, to Beecher’s childhood friend. This makes you root even more for Beecher, as he desperately tries to uncover a conspiracy hidden for over two decades, and protect the people he cares about.
Overall, I found The President’s Shadow to be an exciting, if at times, convoluted mix of history, politics, and good old-fashioned thriller. It’s left me wanting to read the first two books while awaiting the next book in the series.
Culper Ring Bk. 1 Culper Ring Bk. 2
By Hook Or By Book 
You must be logged in to post a comment.