The Governor's Wife, by Mark Gimenez

Long-time readers of the Reading Glutton will remember the name Mark Gimenez.  I have reviewed several of his books here, and have not been disappointed in one yet.  His latest, The Governor's Wife, continues his streak of winners.  As Gimenez's readers have come to expect, he pays close attention to setting the stage, bringing the story's locations alive.  He develops the characters skillfully and draws the reader along, revealing just enough at just the right times, giving us people and a story to care about.

The governor in The Governor's Wife, Bode Bonner, bears an uncanny resemblance to our real-life governor for life, down to his connection to George W. Bush and his penchant for hunting small game while jogging (in self-defense, of course).  There are plenty of biographical differences to avoid a defamation suit, but the personality is certainly inspired by Perry.  (By the way, I couldn't help feeling like Gimenez is no fan of Gov. Perry!)  While he is trying to figure out how to get noticed on the national stage, looking to follow in GWB's footsteps, his wife is bored and neglected, aware of Bonner's affair with his aide, and seeking meaning outside of photo ops and the public eye.

She finds satisfaction in assisting a doctor in the colonias along the border.  Her training as a nurse and her compassionate spirit fit right in with the saintly doctor, who was born in the colonia, went to Harvard Medical School, and returned to the border to provide health care.  She happens to assist in saving the life of the son of Mexican drug lord, then her husband happens to shoot the same son, leading the governor to the national stage he has longed for.  At the same time, the Democratic party leadership think they've found the perfect candidate to oppose Bonner in the race for governor, a certain border doctor who happens to be falling in love with the governor's wife.

Gimenez weaves these connections into a believable, readable story, with, yes, some melodrama, but, hey, it's fiction!  Throughout we're also treated to more political and social commentary than I remember in Gimenez's other books.  Gimenez is pretty clearly a Democrat, but he gives enough time to the characters that other perspectives are treated fairly.  I especially liked the Mexican perspective.  As he conveyed the history of Texas and Mexico from the perspective of the Mexicans, he almost had me convinced that we should cede Texas back to Mexico.  OK, not really, but it's interesting to hear their side of the story, too.

All in all, The Governor's Wife is a highly enjoyable, can't-put-it-down thriller.  Highly recommended!