Checkmate [Hardcover]

Karna Small Bodman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007

Dr. Cameron Talbot has invented a breakthrough technology to defend against cruise missiles. But she needs support from skeptical company officers, funding from a reluctant Congress, and help from the White House to develop her life-saving project. Lt. Col. Hunt Daniels, detailed from the Pentagon to the White House National Security Council to investigate Dr. Talbot's work, sees the potential of the invention. The fact that he's attracted to the brilliant scientist adds one more dimension to his interest in her work.
            But disaster is brewing overseas as militants in the disputed Kashmir region of India steal a series of missiles from sympathizers in the Pakistani military and launch one against India. At the same time, they send one of their agents to Washington, D.C., to steal Dr. Talbot's technology so they can protect themselves when their enemies retaliate.
            The scientist and the NSC staffer find themselves enmeshed in terrorist plots and political wrangling at the highest levels. With scenes in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, Capitol Hill, Georgetown restaurants, and Washington dinner parties, as well as action in Kashmir, New Delhi, and at the Taj Mahal, the tension and intrigue escalate until two nuclear-armed countries stand at the brink of war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bodman, a deputy press secretary and later senior director of the National Security Council under Reagan, comes up with a cool premise for her debut thriller, but the book suffers from annoying minutiae, lame jokes and pedestrian plotting. Computer genius Cameron "Cammy" Talbot of Bandaq Technologies has developed a program whereby she's able to hack into the guidance system of an incoming cruise missile and redirect it back against whoever fired it. Meanwhile, a Muslim terror group bent on taking over Kashmir has stolen three Pakistani cruise missiles, one of which it has fired into India in an effort to provoke a nuclear response against Pakistan. Lt. Col. Hunt Daniels of the Air Force becomes involved with Cammy after someone tries to kill her, and romantic sparks fly: "She could feel the hard muscles of his arms encircling her in a velvet vice." Insider info can be invaluable, but knowing the color of the drapery in the Oval Office (gold) doesn't make up for a thriller that keeps dipping back into romance for its source of suspense. Author tour. (Jan.)
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Review

"Checkmate is a fantastic first novel by a woman who knows the intricacies of Washington. Well worth the read . . . it will get your heart pumping." --Vince Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Consent to Kill
 

"Gripping and authentic." --Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of One Shot

"Karna Small Bodman's Checkmate hits all the notes. Her years of firsthand White House experience shine through on every page of this fine debut international thriller--authentic, up-to-the-minute, and gripping." --John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of The Hunt Club
 
"A fantastic story of how close our world is to the brink of ruin and how one courageous and determined woman fights to save us all. Karna Small Bodman writes with the eye of an insider, revealing all the secrets we wish we knew in a brilliant, heart-stopping tale." --Tim Green, New York Times bestselling author of Exact Revenge
 
"Bodman takes on Washington like only a true insider can, weaving a frightening tale that feels both unerringly authentic and frighteningly real." --Kyle Mills, New York Times bestselling author of The Second Horseman
 
"Karna Small Bodman draws on her unique background as a White House insider to inject high tension and authenticity into this high-stakes thriller. She writes with the smooth confidence of someone who truly knows the political landscape--and isn't afraid to reveal all." --Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Vanish
 
"Checkmate is a chilling and penetrating insider's look at our national missile defenses, with an astonishing countdown that seems to be happening at this very moment." --Katherine Neville, New York Times bestselling author of The Eight
 
"An inside story from an insider. A ripping tale of intrigue about an explosive region, but really about power and Washington. Bodman knows her stuff and lets us see and think about what really happens when the pressure is on and flawed people make decisions that affect us all." --James W. Huston, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Justice

 

"Bodman brings us behind the scenes of military meetings, boardrooms, and parlors of the Washington power elite as her heroes race against time and terrorists in her thrilling debut novel, Checkmate. Suspense, romance, life and death scenarios . . . Checkmate has it all." --Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of Sweetgrass

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765315424
• ISBN-13: 978-0765315427
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,923,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karna was on the air for 15 years as a TV news reporter and anchor in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and did political commentary in New York. She also served in the Reagan White House, first as Deputy Press Secretary and later asd Senior Director and Spokesman for the National Security Council. Now she is writing "political thrillers" where she weaves in many of her White House experiences and impressions -- stories of political intrigue, international plots, bureaucratic infighting and, oh yes, romantic entanglements.

Her second novel, GAMBIT, was featured on The Today Show where they said that since these books all focus on current events and very real "national security threats" to our country, instead of calling them "fiction," perhaps we should call them "faction."

Her newest novel, FINAL FINESSE, was the subject of a lengthy interview on the Rush Limbaugh show. Check out Karna's website: www.karnabodman.com -- and you'll see the link -- among other things.

Brand new -- check out her short story (a romantic thriller) "The Agent" - available for download to a Kindle for only 99 cents.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars interesting but, January 18, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Checkmate (Hardcover)

At Bandaq Technologies, Cameron "Cammy" Talbot leads a team of brilliant technocrats in developing the ultimate missile defense program. She and her crew ignore the Star Wars initiative of shooting the projectile out of the sky. Instead they concentrate on a program that takes control of an incoming missile's guidance system in order to reverse it; hitting the initiator. Due to unsavory lobbying her program is in jeopardy as Congress considers moving funding to a rival firm supporting the Star Wars initiative.

Still as Cammy and cohorts make major progress, Muslims steal three Pakistani cruise missiles, firing one at India. This terrorist group intends to take over Kashmir as they expect India to reciprocate leading to an all out war with nukes between India and Pakistan.

Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Hunt Daniels meets Cammy when someone tries to kill her. They each feel a strong attraction to one another while someone wants her new technology stopped before completion with her dead before it can be used to prevent a deadly nuclear war.

The premise of this tale is superb, but Karna Small Bodman is unable to decide between a romantic suspense and a nuclear countdown thriller; the reader gets some of both, but the sum of the parts does not quite make a cohesive whole. Still the story line is fun to follow as Cammy races against time to prove her concept works even as she ponders whether Hunt is the hunk who makes her feel complete. Congress seems realistic as money speaks in spite of the cost to the world. Overall this is a fine novel that will please fans of final countdowns to pending disaster with a romantic subplot weaved into the last digits.

Harriet Klausner

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced government thriller (with romance), February 10, 2007

By 

Grace Camille Lyons "GCL" (Champaign, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Checkmate (Hardcover)

If you enjoy fast paced books with intrigue and government inside angles...this is a great read. Fasten your seat belts and have fun!
I normally do not read this type of literature, but enjoyed this romp. If you are a fan of The Last Templar, etc., you will want to read this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read, March 31, 2010

By 

J. Robert Ewbank (Mobile, Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Checkmate (Hardcover)

This book by Bodman was one that I had a little trouble reading. I finished it and enjoyed it but the plot and storyline got a little sidetracked for me by the government speak and military speak. I know, I know it was a story which involved the government and military,but sometimes for me anyway, they seemed to get in the way of the plot.

Good characters, good plot, the good wins over evil in the end.

A good read.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"