THE INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER “One of the more surprising double-reverse plot twists…in some time.” –The New York Times In this “propulsive, page-turning, compelling, fragmentation grenade of a debut thriller” (C.J. Box, #1 New York Times bestselling author), a deadly plot against the president’s life emerges from the shadows of the Deep State. Recently elected President Richard … State.
Recently elected President Richard Monroe–populist, controversial, and divisive–is at the center of an increasingly polarized Washington, DC. Never has the partisan drama been so tense or the paranoia so rampant. In the midst of contentious political turf wars, the White House chief of staff is found dead in his house and West Wing intern and ex-Army grunt Hayley Chill is positive that it’s not from natural causes.
Determined to find the truth, Hayley uncovers shocking evidence that a wide-ranging conspiracy is running beneath the surface of DC in an effort to undermine the rule of law–and democracy itself. Soon, Hayley is in a race against time to reveal the truth and save the life of the next victim: the president.
“Deep State rings eerily true [and] will keep you turning pages well into the night” (Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL and author of The Terminal List).
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Author doesn’t understand what the “Deep State” really is.
Good read
Almost like the world we are living in right now!
This was a great book with with a very twisty ending! Appears at first to be a thinly based story on President Trump. Then the Chief of Staff is murdered. When we were young, our motto was: “Never trust anyone over 30.” In this book, the motto is: “Never trust anyone.” Period. there are spies everywhere! There is a young heroine who must save the President, pretty much on her own.
I am hooked on this female Jack Reacher. Liked it so much I preordered the next book in this series.
It was relevant. It actually stayed on the top of my mind for quite some time. The stories just flowed seamlessly from one aspect to another. Whether it was about the intern or the plotters.
I particularly liked how the final chapter was actually the beginning of the story. Even thoug, if it was not written in, the rest of the story would have been just as exciting and interesting.
I found one inconsistency but it was minor. I will have to read the book over to find it. It was more of a proof reader’s miss. But I will recommend this one and look forward to more like it from this talented writer.
Great 1st novel for Chris Hauty! Lotta action, intrigue and surprising twists! Interesting story about a new & unlikely intern in Washington DC and some nasty politics gone bad… Hayley Chill is a great main character and Deep State is a winner!
The premise was interesting (and timely) but I just couldn’t click with the author’s voice, which was a jarring mix of present tense, past tense AND future info dumping (especially about minor characters).
“…white-knuckled, timely, and whip-smart debut thriller…” That’s what the blurb for Deep State promises. Does it deliver? Not in my ever so humble opinion. The premise for this one sounded like it would be at least close to that sit up and take notice description, but the story just doesn’t get there, and I expected so much more after reading the author’s bio and seeing that he’s a screenwriter. Deep State is written in present tense, which didn’t bother me. I like the real-time feeling, especially in a fast-paced thriller. The problem is that this wasn’t fast-paced, and it’s full of unnecessary information. For example, I don’t need to know what will happen with characters years down the road if it doesn’t impact this story. And since it is written in present tense, what will become of these often minor characters is so much information that I don’t need or want. Yet, I found myself slogging through this information that seemed like more filler than anything else while trying to get to the meat of the story. And there is where my other problem came in. As I mentioned, I liked the premise of this one even if it does lean farther toward conspiracy theories than I usually care for, but it ended up being rather boring and wordy. I will say that there is an excellent twist at the end, but by then it was just too little, too late to save this one for me. Good twist or not, Deep State ended up being a book that was much easier to set aside than it was to pick back up. I did push through to the end, mostly out of sheer determination and a bit of OCD about finishing things, but if you’re looking for an exciting thriller, I would advise skipping this one.
This was the perfect suspense read to start the year!! Twists and turns throughout the government and different parts of staff, who is really who they say they are…. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes and reads political thrillers/suspense.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher at the 2019 Men of Mystery event in Long Beach, CA. Thank you, Simon & Schuster!
I found this to be a nail-biting thriller. Hayley Chill is a great character who was easy to fall in love with from the beginning and root for throughout the story. Political thrillers are not my favorite genre, but I couldn’t put this one down!
Deep State is a wonderful tale with intrigue and mystery and wonderful characters.
Deep State quickly pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. From the personal connections to the action and thrills, this story offered me so much and asked for nothing in return except for a few hours of my time to enjoy it.
Favorite character: Hayley Chill
Hayley is an Army enlistee who became a White House intern. Determined, smart, and closed off emotionally, she is a remarkable heroine among a genre full of heroes. She is expertly and mindfully crafted down to small details like her pre-fight habit of picking up a little rock and holding it tightly in her hand till blood is drawn. She is not the girl next door nor your best friend, but she is someone who inspires respect and awe for her convictions and strength of character.
What I Liked:
The novel is full of action and political intrigue, which are a must for any political thriller. There are very few lulls as the story moves from the activities of the bad guys to the conspiracy within the White House. Yet, there is still the necessary exposition needed to develop the characters and fill out the story. It is all masterfully woven into an epic thriller that left me breathless.
What Makes This Story Unique:
Deep State fortuitously plays on today’s headlines about Russia and their interference and influence in US politics. I can imagine people creating connections between the real world and the novel – the story has that much plausibility. I wonder what conspiracy-theorist will do with it, but that is half the fun of political thrillers.
The final plot twist, above everything, makes this story unique. I did not see it coming at all, even though it does answer some questions I had toward the beginning, and I can’t imagine anyone else expecting it. I love it when a story surprises me, and this one checks that box.
The novel features a female heroine that rivals any political thriller male protagonist. Hayley Chill is quick, strong, and in control, making her a great prototype and role model for the potential of women as heroes. The portrayal of women in literature has come so far. It amazes me and makes me cheer.
What I Wish:
The writing was, at times, ponderous with more telling rather than showing. It was particularly noticeable in the early scenes with Asher. There are also a few inaccuracies with background information on another character. These problems, though notable, did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel.
To Read or Not to Read
If you love a good political thriller, then this one will be a welcome addition to your bookshelves!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DEEP STATE by Chris Hauty is the best political thriller that I have read in a long time. It is hard to believe that it is Hauty’s debut novel. The story takes place mostly in Washington D.C., but starts out in Texas.
Our protagonist, Hayley Chill is an ex-Army boxing champion and has become a White House intern. The new President is Richard Monroe who is controversial and divisive making for a polarized political situation. When the White House Chief of Staff is found dead in his home by Hayley, she finds a clue that suggests he may have been murdered. With this scenario the author’s story line progresses at a rapid pace.
We get to know Hayley well. Her character has depth and is extremely likeable. I became emotionally invested in seeing her succeed in life. She is a patriot above all else. Additionally, the secondary characters were well fleshed out. The author portrayed the right atmosphere for the story line. There are several twists and turns in the plot, but the twist near the end caught me completely by surprise. Wow! I did not see that coming.
The author lets us know what happens in the future to some of the secondary characters throughout the course of the book. Some readers may not like this. Some of this could have been done later in the book. However, it worked okay for me.
I can’t wait to read this author’s next book. Overall, it was action-packed, engaging, thought-provoking, suspenseful and compulsively readable. It contained the elements that I look for in a political thriller. Will this become a series focused around Hayley? I sincerely hope so.
Many thanks to Atria Books and Chris Hauty for a digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.