Shelley's Heart — Charles McCarry

A contested presidential election leads to a national crisis in this “masterful political thriller . . . loaded with intrigue and counter-intrigue” (Richard Condon, author of The Manchurian Candidate).

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the CIA has been disbanded and a secret society has taken hold of powerful positions across Washington. After a long and contentious campaign, President Bedford Lockwood is celebrating his reelection. But the revelry is cut short when it's discovered that his over-zealous aides may have tampered with the vote.

On the eve of the Inauguration, Lockwood's rival -- the archconservative Franklin Mallory -- presents evidence of fraud. When Lockwood refuses to take the oath of office, it sets in motion a series of events that may destroy him, his party, and the Constitution. From this catastrophic crisis, acclaimed author and former Washington journalist Charles McCarry weaves a smart, tense, and eerily prescient political thriller.

“Not only exceptionally suspenseful but also unnervingly realistic….gripping and intricate.” -- The Washington Post