Review – The Election

Jerome Teel’s faith-based legal thriller combines political corruption and intrigue with global conspiracy, hired assassins, and murder. Told from multiple viewpoints and a variety of locations that reveal the author’s skill in building suspense, Teel weaves a large cast of characters together to deliver an impressive debut mystery novel. The characters and dialogue sound natural, and the underlying Christian theme is integrated into the story line to deliver one primary question.

What do presidential candidates Edward Burke, his opponent Mackenzie Foster and banker Jesse Thompson have in common with small-town attorney Jake Reed and his client Jedediah McClellan? A betting man would say-motive for murder.

Democratic Vice President Edward Burke will do anything to win the election for president of the United States. His opponent, Mackenzie Foster believes God will put him in the White House, even though the latest polls show otherwise. Foster’s chief campaign strategist Shepard Taylor knows their war chest is almost empty, and Burke’s should be, yet Burke continues to spend millions on television and radio ads. Taylor wants to know who the power-hungry broker is behind Burke. But no one will talk until Taylor hires a private investigator.

The PI learns three men who call themselves The Federalists have enough resources to control the world’s financial markets. Randolph Winston is the leader. His company, Apollyon Associates, needs approval of a merger of world communication networks that will create a monopoly and set the stage for a one-world government. The plan is in place, millions have been paid to Burke’s campaign fund and The Federalists’ goal is in sight. What no one knows is that the greed of small town banker, Jesse Thompson, and the foreclosure of Jedediah McClellan’s house in a southern Tennessee town, will turn their plans upside down.

McClellan hires attorney Jake Reed to stop his homes foreclosure-to which Reed agrees, but when he learns McClellan’s mortgage is in arrears he isn’t optimistic. Town talk is that Thompson is an unethical banker quick to foreclose on anyone in the black community for his own profit. The day before the foreclosure, McClellan spends the night at the Bad Dog Saloon only to wake in the morning to find he’s the chief suspect in the murder of Jesse Thompson.

Readers who like John Grisham will like Teel’s writing. The only flaw was the author’s motivation for Jake Reed’s actions with McClellan, but it’s a minor flaw and doesn’t take away from an exceptionally well-written story.