Deep State, by Chris Hauty

Chris Hauty's first novel, Deep State, is a timely, politically-charged page turner.  Hayley Chill's career takes a fast track to the inner circles of power as she moves from an Army base to the basement office of a congressional aides into the President's circle of trust.  When she sees evidence that the President's Chief of Staff may have been murdered, she becomes a target herself. 

Hauty keeps the action going with the cat-and-mouse, who-can-you-trust game.  He presents a convincing, if a bit dark, view of Washington political culture.  It all comes together very nicely in the final confrontation.  However, not to give away the ending, but Hauty tears down a pretty good novel with his denouement.  The character of the president is, in part, clearly modeled after President Trump, and I was impressed that Hauty didn't let politics get in the way of a good story.  But at the end, he let stupid politics ruin a good story.  This is obviously a novel and a genre that will have politics infused into the story, but in my opinion the way Hauty does it takes away from an otherwise enjoyable political thriller.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!