Stephen Frey, The Successor

The Successor

Stephen Frey

Ballantine, Jan 2007, $25.95

ISBN: 0345480627

The first African-American president of the United States, Jesse Wood, "invites" Everest Capital investment firm CEO Christian Gillette to meet with him at Camp David to discuss rumors that Castro died. Wood asks Gillette to use his international contacts to learn whether the Cuban communist dictator is dead or if this is just a fabrication. Gillette agrees to uncover the truth even if it means a questionable legal venture. As Wood explains it, he wants to help a certain liberal Cuban group take power.

Meanwhile, in Hollywood, at the Oscar awards banquet, actress Melissa Hart wins the Best Actress award, but rips her director father in her thank-you speech. In Havana, Dr. Nelson Padilla, head of Los Secretos Seis, has shady American support to destroy the current regime. Finally, the Republican opposition sends Victoria Graham to expose and destroy Gillette, and by association Wood, with her payment being the CEO of Everest Capital. These three people join forces with the immediate goal to obliterate Gillette and behind that the long term objective to make Wood impotent with the stakes being American political power, control of Everest Capital, and taking over Cuba.

Though connecting the dots means leaving your plausibility logic elsewhere, fans of action-packed thrillers will appreciate this wild ride. The storyline is fast-paced though filled with details that attempt unsuccessfully to add credibility to the premise. Fans of the author will appreciate Gillette's latest fray as the hero struggles to survive amoral political intrigue that makes Wall St look like a high school economics class.

Harriet Klausner