The Chosen One

Number One bestseller Sam Bourne, author of The Righteous Men, delivers this page-turning political conspiracy thriller that goes right to the heart of the US establishment.

Bruised by years of disappointments, political advisor Maggie Costello is finally working for a leader she can believe in. She, along with the rest of America, has put her trust in President Stephen Baker, believing he can make the world a better place.

But suddenly an enemy surfaces: a man called Vic Forbes reveals first one scandal about the new president, and then another. He threatens a third revelation – one that will destroy Baker entirely.

When Forbes is found dead, Maggie is thrown into turmoil. Could the leader she idolizes have been behind Forbes’s murder? Has she been duped by his message of change and hope? Who is the real Stephen Baker?

On the trail of the truth, Maggie is led into the roots of a massive conspiracy that reaches back into history – and goes right to the heart of the US establishment…

Reviews

‘Like a much classier Dan Brown … dazzlingly compelling’ Heat

Praise for Sam Bourne:

‘The biggest challenger to Dan Brown’s crown … a highly charged, theologically accurate tale’ Mirror

‘Compulsive reading … successfully blends ancient teachings with the highly charged ways of the 21st century … bears all the hallmarks of a blockbuster’ Daily Express

‘The best thriller I’ve read in years’ Piers Morgan

'More readable than The Da Vinci Code – the sense of menace is darker and the characters more believable' Esquire

‘Sharper and vastly more authoritative than Dan Brown’ Telegraph

‘A gripping read’ Guardian

‘Immensely diverting … a pacy read, constructed with a crisp control of tension and narrative drive’ Observer

About the author

Sam Bourne is the pseudonym of Jonathan Freedland, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster. He has written a weekly column for the Guardian since 1997, having previously served as the paper's Washington correspondent. He has covered five US presidential elections, including Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008.

In the annual What the Papers Say Awards of 2002 Jonathan Freedland was named Columnist of the Year, and in 2008 he won the David Watt Prize for Journalism. His first novel, The Righteous Men, was a Richard and Judy Summer Read and a Number 1 bestseller. His next two novels, The Last Testament and The Final Reckoning were both top five bestsellers. He lives in London with his wife and their two children.