The latest “must for political junkies and fans of political fiction”* from New York Times bestselling author Nicole Wallace. The four most powerful women in Washington are at the top of their political game. . . . What could possibly go wrong?
Charlotte Kramer, America’s first female president, is beginning her second term and is determined to make her mark on history though events do seem to be conspiring against her. Melanie Kingston, her best friend, just signed on as secretary of defense. Will their relationship survive? Dale Smith is the senior communications advisor to the vice president and knows a secret that could not only ruin her own career, but put the credibility of the White House on the line. Tara Meyers is the most popular vice president in recent history, but does her public image match her private life?
When a classified terror threat is made public, all the weaknesses of this presidency are laid bare—and with the country’s safety at stake, someone in the White House isn’t taking any chances.
From the bestselling author of Eighteen Acres comes a novel with a true insider’s look at the lives of Washington’s political elite. It’s Classified reveals the intrigue and drama that go on behind the closed doors of the White House and opens up a world few have access to.
Amazon Exclusive: Dana Perino Reviews It's Classified Dana Perino served as White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush and is a Fox News Contributer and regular co-host on
The Five.
Last year I got eaten alive while reading Nicolle Wallace's debut novel, Eighteen Acres, in 100-degree heat on my so-called screened in porch. I kept thinking I should go inside, but I couldn't put the book down. Eighteen Acres was a terrific read, and the characters and story lines were so memorable that I kept thinking about them all year. I was particularly haunted by the young reporter-turned political operative who chose to move back to Washington, D.C. instead of staying with the love of her life in California--I wanted to pick up the phone to counsel her to stay on the west coast where she would be loved and never have a bad hair day.
This year I was a bit smarter, and instead of reading the sequel, It's Classified, outside, I stayed up late into the wee hours of the morning to finish it. Nicolle is a remarkably talented writer, and in her books about the first woman to serve as the President of the United States, she peels back the curtain of what it's really like to work inside the White House. While some people might think the stories could never happen, the details she provides--such as the back and forth with the White House press corps, dreading picking up the phone when you know it's an investigative reporter with what they think is a scoop, and even what's best to order from the White House Mess--give her books a leg up on anything I've read before in this genre.
Nicolle's characters in It's Classified reveal deeper complexities and more vulnerabilities of what it's like to be human but to have to deal with the immense pressure and scrutiny of serving in a modern White House. The staff in the book want to serve their country and to do well by their president--and that means grueling hours, grey policy areas, and, unfortunately for these characters, having to watch their backs. I was taken with their professionalism that had to take a front seat to their private lives--when you're working at the White House, it's not easy to carry on a long distance relationships, keep up with fitness and fashion, and to prevent premature wrinkles!
If you're looking for a book that is informative and entertaining, start with Eighteen Acres and carry straight on to It's Classified.
For full disclosure, Nicolle is a dear friend of mine, being one of the colleagues at the White House whose door I could close to have a good old-fashioned rant and cry without any judgment. But I don't write this because she is my friend. I know a great book when I read it, and her books are excellent. I can't wait until next year to find out what happens! --Dana Perino
“Essential reading for all political fiction junkies.” --Library Journal
“It moves along smartly and suspensefully, with insightful glimpses of White House life… It’s a gloriously cynical climax to an entertaining tale, and by itself could justify another book about Charlotte Kramer’s troubled White House. Wallace’s first two novels have been impressive." --The Washington Post
“This novel reads like a lighthearted novel for people interested in politics, but it's also a pretty big indictment of how the political process works." --Time.com
