The Candidate by Paul Harris

Morning, readers. I'm part of the TLC tour for Paul Harris's The Candidate this morning.

Mike Sweeney believes Jack Hodges can truly change the course of our nation. As one of his staffers, Mike is dedicated to helping Hodges's campaign. When a would-be assassin takes a shot at the presidential hopeful, his popularity with voters immediately increases. But why did the assassin target Hodges in the first place? Mike is assigned to find out, but digging into this mess is harder than it would initially appear. The woman jailed for the crime isn't talking and when Mike traces her to Guatemala, he has no choice but to hop a plane and follow the clues wherever they may lead. In politics, the past never stays buried and if there's any smudge on Hodges's record, the campaign could bomb.

Paul Harris's latest is certainly timely in its release. The subject of presidential campaigning is one that no one can avoid at the moment. Fortunately, while the book may prompt some additional thought into what might be going on behind the scenes today, that's really the only bearing it has on the actual campaigns going on right this moment.

The Candidate is a political thriller through and through. The story is interesting and the basis for the plot (civil war in Guatemala) is real -- and is also one that I personally know almost nothing about, a point characters are quick to  latch onto in the book as well. Harris, a journalist who covers US politics, manages to delve into the topic here in a way that avoids being overly bogged down in complicated policy or facts. Instead, it's an easy read for someone looking for a good thriller and it's equally interesting for a reader who has some knowledge of political goings on as well.

For more stops on the tour visit the official TLC tour page here.