State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

 I recently read State of Terror. It was written by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny. 

When it first came out, I didn't plan on reading it. I thought, like may others, that it as a book about politics that Hillary Clinton wrote. I am not a person that spends alot of time on "politics." But several of the members of our Mystery Book Club read it and really liked it. 

It is very popular at our library. I put myself on the hold list and waited a couple of months. I finally got it a few weeks ago. 

About: " After a tumultuous period in American politics, a new administration has just been sworn in, and to everyone’s surprise the president chooses a political enemy for the vital position of secretary of state.

There is no love lost between the president of the United States and Ellen Adams, his new secretary of state. But it’s a canny move on the part of the president. With this appointment, he silences one of his harshest critics, since taking the job means Adams must step down as head of her multinational media conglomerate.

As the new president addresses Congress for the first time, with Secretary Adams in attendance, Anahita Dahir, a young foreign service officer (FSO) on the Pakistan desk at the State Department, receives a baffling text from an anonymous source.

Too late, she realizes the message was a hastily coded warning.

What begins as a series of apparent terrorist attacks is revealed to be the beginning of an international chess game involving the volatile and Byzantine politics of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran; the race to develop nuclear weapons in the region; the Russian mob; a burgeoning rogue terrorist organization; and an American government set back on its heels in the international arena.

As the horrifying scale of the threat becomes clear, Secretary Adams and her team realize it has been carefully planned to take advantage of four years of an American government out of touch with international affairs, out of practice with diplomacy, and out of power in the places where it counts the most.

To defeat such an intricate, carefully constructed conspiracy, it will take the skills of a unique team: a passionate young FSO; a dedicated journalist; and a smart, determined, but as yet untested new secretary of state."

I loved this book. I didn't expect to. I thought it would be "about politics.". 

It is a political thriller. It reads like the T.V. show "24" to me. It is very fast paced and reads quick despite the number of pages. It is very intense and hard to put down. If you are a fan of Louise Penny's series, you will stand up and shout out loud (in a good way) at the last couple of chapters. 

Be sure to read the Acknowledgements at the end. Three of the characters are named after friends of Hillary Clinton. Ellen Adams. Katherine who is the real Ellen's daughter. Betsy Jameson who is named after Hillary's childhood friend and my high school Spanish teacher - Betsy Ebeling. Knowing Mrs. Ebeling, having gone to Spain with her in a high school group, this was a great tribute to her. She really was a wonderful person.  "Mrs. Ebeling" and Ellen that Ellen Adams is named for, have passed away. 

The Acknowledgements also talk about how H. Clinton and Louise Penny met and ended up writing this book. Even that part of the book was really good.

I really recommend it.