Former US President Bill Clinton and Best-Selling Author James Patterson Discuss Their New Political Thriller
Former US President Bill Clinton and best-selling author James Patterson sat down with the BBC to discuss how real-life experiences informed their new political thriller. The novel, which explores the idea of the president’s husband being brought to court for murder, is a classic drama that meets police procedural.
The Inspiration Behind the Novel
The book focuses on US President Madeline Wright and her husband Cole Wright, a former professional American football star. The story takes a dark turn when Cole is accused of murdering a cheerleader 20 years ago, and journalists, detectives, and political employees work to uncover the truth. The novel is a thrilling exploration of the role of the first gentleman, a position that President Clinton would have taken on if his wife Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 presidential election.
A Glimpse into the White House
Clinton’s presidency still weighs heavily on his mind as he writes. “There were times in the White House… where I felt that I was – in the minds of those who covered me – more of an action than a story,” he says. The book aims to capture the essence of life in the White House, with all its complexities and challenges.
The Central Characters
At the heart of the novel are a few journalists, including the independent investigative journalist and lawyer Brea Cooke and her partner Garrett Wilson. They work to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Suzanne Bonanno, a cheerleader who had seen the first gentleman when he played for the New England Patriots soccer team 17 years earlier. Patterson sees it as natural that journalists would be at the center of the novel, saying, “Journalists, sometimes they earn what they get, but most journalists want to pursue the truth… that’s what we want.”
The Importance of Honorable Journalists
Clinton, who has had his own disputes with conspiracy theorists over the years, agrees that even in an era of partisan fervor, honorable journalists will be successful if they can rise above the noise and tell the truth. The character of Brea Cooke, the journalist who digs for the truth, is likely to resonate with readers.
A Courtroom Drama with a Twist
The novel is not just a courtroom drama; it also explores a large-scale conspiracy involving the US debt and expenses. Without giving away the ending, President Wright determines how to solve the country’s financial woes and balance the budget. This book appears at a time when Donald Trump and the Republican Party are laying out their own plans, and Patterson jokes, “We have a big, nice bill in our book.”
A Sense of Duty
The novel drives towards its twisting resolution with a sense of duty. Will the president do the right thing about her husband and the country? The echoes of Clinton’s own experiences are clear: “One thing that I know something about when the other side explains the war in the White House, they still have to appear and do the job.”
Writing Together
So, what did the pair learn from each other on their third writing excursion? For Patterson, everything revolves around research and authenticity. After finishing his latest memoir, he focused more on “paying much more attention to the sentences… I think I am better than I have ever been because I am real and the sentences are really aware of it.” Clinton brought his own unique perspective to the table, drawing from his experiences in the White House.
A Chaotic Start
The first drafts of the book were tough for the experienced pair. Patterson admitted, “In the beginning, it was a mess… we didn’t have the president, and they weren’t good characters. The journalists were not good characters. We somehow knew what the story was, but the characters were just all wrong.” Clinton called him one night to say,
