This was quite gripping especially with the present state of things.

This book started out really well. I thought given the current political headlines this book was very interesting.

However as the story went on I felt that it was getting rushed and the ending was just a bit blunt for me.

I liked Maggie the main character but felt that she was too clever to be duped the way she was!

An interesting take on the political thriller. While it's interesting to read an example of the genre from a left-wing perspective, I found the story a little disappointing. As a thought experiment concerned chiefly depicting the proximity of a strong democratic nation to fascism it's undeniably interesting, but the characters are bland and, much like military intervention by that same country and its coalition, little care is given in sustaining the idea past the denouement. There are more engaging examples of a similar theme with greater clout out there.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC of this book.

Warning: contains spoilers

I really enjoyed this very timely thriller which follows various employees of the White House involved in plotting and attempting to prevent an assassination attempt on a president clearly based on Trump.

The plot is a little far-fetched and too easily resolved; however I really enjoyed the portrayal of the worst case scenario Trump presidency. From almost starting a nuclear war with North Korea, to banning abortion, and deporting pretty much anyone Latino to Mexico; there was so much that rang a warning bell with the real-life Trump presidency. It was really interesting seeing the parallels between the plot and real life and where the author envisions the Trump presidency might go.

You can't help but sympathise with the Republican insider career politicians who begin to see an assassination attempt as their only option to undermine a president who is dangerously out of control and for whom every scandal seems to slip like water off a duck's back. Although, in reality assassination would only worsen the problem as it would make him a martyr for his cause. In the end, in some epic wish-fulfilment, the president is felled by a much simpler Nixon-style scandal. I can only hope Trump is brought down by his own actions so easily and America comes to its senses before he can do any more lasting damage.

I'd definitely be interested in reading this author again. Although I did find his lead character Maggie Costello a bit flat. In particular, her sexual desires and feelings seem to be clearly written from a male perspective. At least he tried to have a female lead, which is rare in this kind of political thriller.

It was really fun to read a thriller so rooted in the current political context and so pertinent to our times. The cover is great too!

Having just managed to prevent the new President of the United States from starting a nuclear war at 3:00am over a comment made on a TV Program, two inner circle American patriots come to an unnerving conclusion. This man must be removed from office. Permanently, and at haste. Maggie Costello, a White House operator left over from the previous Administration, stumbles across their plot to have their Commander in Chief assassinated, and even as she assembles all the clues to unravel their plans, she wrestles with a very big moral dilemma. Should she even try to stop it?

Let’s get it out of the way. Yes, To Kill the President is about Donald Trump. While Freedland (writing as Sam Bourne) never explicitly names his heavy set, blond haired, misogynist businessman-turned-President, he is just about as subtle as a jackhammer at hammering his point home. But more on that later.

Freedland’s DC is alarming and unsettling because it rings so true. It’s not hard to believe that some of the things Freedland presents us with are being said and done right now by people in power. He understands the current American Political climate like no other, and he pulls no punches as he leads us through this nest of vipers. To Kill the President might be an uncomfortable read, but that is because we live in uncomfortable times.

But where To Kill a President shines, is also it’s biggest downfall. In his efforts to vilify this unnamed President and his Administration, Freedland’s heavy-handiness becomes rather nauseating. The depiction of demagoguery becomes excessive the more we go on, to the point where it becomes almost laughable. Look, we all know Trump “Unnamed President” is a Spawn of Satan, we don’t need to beaten over the head with it every few pages.

Another disappointing element is Maggie Costello herself, who just isn’t compelling enough of a lead. I can’t quite put my finger on it-Costello has all the right traits and flaws of a thriller heroine-but I dreaded having to read her chapters. There’s no magnetism, no charisma. Nothing about Costello made me connect with her, which meant I didn’t really care about her character, and so her chapters held no interest. I understand that this is the third Sam Bourne Novel that Costello features in, and I might be missing some background information, so the fault here lies with me. Readers more familiar with Costello might have an easier time empathising with her.

The resolution, however, is by far the biggest disappointment. To Kill the President is not as fast paced and “explosive” as billed, but the action does move along at a good pace, until the big confrontation at the end where people… Just talk, and the issues are resolved by one of the biggest deux ex machina I’ve ever encountered. In the end, I couldn’t help but feel that even though Freedland never really knew how to resolve his moral dilema satisfactorily , he still wanted to write it for the controversy dollars.

My review as posted on Goodreads:
The thoughts I had as I read this book:
Political satire.
A frightening prediction.
Is this why I feel that I can't trust a politician?

At the time of reading this book, the parallels with what I have been reading in the newspapers is frightening.

This is not a book for those wanting quality literary fiction. A lot of the dialogue and the crafting of the characters is simplistic.

However, I found that I liked the concept. The pace of the narrative is fairly swift.
There are a few twists in the tale along the way.

Clearly the president in the novel is a complete sociopath, as are the aides he has around him. It is a book which makes you feel glad that there is a gap between fiction and fact….

My thanks go to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Scarily close to the world today and the dangers of the wrong man in the wrong place with the the world at the tip of his fingers. Sounds too much like you know who. Fiction or prediction, we'll have to wait and see!!

This book certainly isn't going to win any literary prizes - but if you're looking for a fun, fast-paced thriller with some hilarious parallels to real life then this is the novel for you this summer!

The 'fictional' President is brilliantly portrayed. He is a huge threat to global security and so those around him decide it may be in the national, and global, interest to take matters into their own hands... To Kill the President...

The first half had more punch than the second, as things ramped up my interest inversely waned. But in this crazy world we live in a little satire of He Who Shall Not Be Named put a smile on my face.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was a great story and I can't help but wonder if he had a particular President in mind. Because I do and I'm not American. I have good reason to dislike him and all through the book I was hoping. Hey I can hope.


Maggie Costello is the main character of the book who worked for the previous President and she felt he was great. She stayed on to serve the present President reluctantly. She has been tasked to look into the supposed suicide of the Presidential doctor. She unravels a web of deceit. She uncovers racists, white supremacist and homophobic people who work for and agree with the President for a dominant America of white adult males.


It's kind of scary if I'm honest. The thought of taking out one of the most influential people in the modern world with one shot. But then the question is, is the world better off with him dead or alive. We live in a democracy to ensure stupid people do not get in to power. Or am I wrong? I guess they can slip through the net.


The book grabs you from the beginning and doesn't release you until the end. There is a little twist at the end which I didn't see coming. But it did make me smile. As I said before it makes me wonder who Bourne was thinking about whilst writing it. It is definitely a very good read.


Would I recommend this? Yes most definitely


*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2034304842


https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2XRXNXY2LY95G/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

A political thriller set in the White House which in any other era/year would be scarcely believable! Sadly it is all too believable in 2017. To Kill the President is a read that rattles along and holds your attention - perfect holiday reading material. Prior to this I hadn't read any of Sam Bourne/Jonathan Freedland's work but I would be tempted to pick up his other books on the back of this.

Only a couple of years ago the whole premise of this novel would probably have been laughed at as ludicrous and completely unrealistic. However the terrifying bit about this story is you can kind of see most of it actually happening. Strange times.....cracking read despite being so potentially disturbing

Sam Bourne has written a fantastic novel that reads like a fly on the wall documentary of the current White House. What would you do if you worked at the White House and the president came within seconds of starting World War Three, because of comments on a talk show. So begins the premise of this book featuring Bourne regular Maggie Costello. An excellent whodunnit unfolds at breakneck speed made all the more powerful because of its plausibility given who is currently in the White House. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read Sam Bournes new book before it's publication date.

Has this thriller been written by someone who knows? This is eerily prescient. Eeerily prescient. Many people will read this and think it's about the current state of affairs. A president is hell bent on destroying Pyongyang and the rest of the world and is seconds away from pressing the button to destroy them..and us...would you stop him if you could? What would happen if you don't - could the enemy press the button first? Were they even going to in the first place?

This really is a breathtaking read - it was so possible and real that it's scary too. Chilling from the word go - how easy it would be to end the world with the press of a nuclear button. How governments work and how the chain of command works and ...doesn't. The range of characters is epic but not overly so as each one is carefully constructed and developed. Of course the author has worked heavily in the political arena and you can tell - but this is no political agenda - this is an easy to read but it ricochets along with the nuclear force behind it.

It was a fascinating insight into the White House, the mind of the PResident and his staff and the military not to mention the world stage. There is so much you can identify with, despite this being an arena that most of us will never had an experience of. This author shocks and makes you think - whilst plunging you head first in to the most powerful and dangerous political arenas in the world

It makes you think, hold your breath and fear for the world today.