Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt (Ballantine Books, $26.00, 336 pages)
“You can tell us what the hell is going on,” Cartwright barked. “You’re the president, not a damned flight attendant!”
The security force of the District of Columbia and its most prominent resident, the leader of the free world, are in serious peril. Hotheaded terrorists and foreign governments are the obvious villains in this tale of gunshots, missiles and threats. Although the premise may not be a new one, thanks to the masterful split-second timing of author William Bernhardt, it becomes fresh and vibrant.
The entire story takes place in less than a day. Bernhardt builds the plot using one of his mainstay characters, Ben Kincaid. Rather than having Kincaid be the featured player, Seamus McKay, a U.S. undercover operative who is nearing retirement age, provides the action and the fireworks. Kincaid is the perfect intellectual lawyer counterpart to McKay’s clever MacGyver-like tricks and ploys. The folks rounding out the cast of characters include some slippery and self-serving Washington insiders.
This reviewer has noted that a plot device that uses one scene depicted from the perspective of several different characters is often employed by novelists to build dramatic tension. Bernhardt takes this device and builds the pace as though he’s smoothly double clutching in a Porsche. Resist the temptation to peek at the ending and your self-control will be rewarded.
Recommended.
Reviewed by Ruta Arellano. Reprinted courtesy of Sacramento Book Review.
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