The decisions made in Washington, D.C., set the foundation for how government leaders steer the country. They produce laws and remarkable political careers, but while some jobs lead to the White House, only a few individuals reach the U.S. presidency. 

Deep Fake by Ward Larsen considers what would happen if you could stagger the steps to the presidency to secure it for yourself. Yet, in this case, it’s a country meddling in U.S. politics to secure the ultimate prize, the presidential seat. 

Deep Fake tells the tale of a man who’s not bound for the presidency but instead works a sinister plan to get there. In the process, he uses deception, fooling almost everyone.. almost everyone.

Washington Monument, Washington D.C.

The book reawakened my interest in thrillers. I especially enjoyed it because its setting is in the D.C. metropolitan area where I reside. I started listening to the audiobook during a Sunday drive to visit a museum by the Washington monument. The drive helped spur my imagination; it established scenes and settings and drew me deeper into the story. 

I was hoping the twist would tap into the technologies of A.I. to explain duplicative personas. However, it took a safe route instead. Regardless, other aspects of the story were well-researched and the settings well-established.

I look forward to the movie.