Presidential Pardon [Paperback]

Raghav Singh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2003

December 1987, as the Reagan Administration enters its final year in office the Iran-Contra scandal has burst upon the country. Reporting on the scandal journalist Scott Keyes is trying to find something interesting to write about when a chance encounter in a bar leads him to believe that Vice-president George Bush is deeply involved in the scandal. Until now, George Bush, also running for President in the upcoming election, has distanced himself from the scandal. Bush's claims about having no knowledge of the administration's dealings with Iran have been generally accepted. Scott's efforts to uncover the truth sets off a whirlwind of activity to stop him. If he succeeds he could sully the reputation of the President and change the outcome of the upcoming election. Not knowing who to trust and in fear of his life Scott embarks on a quest that takes him from Washington to Paris and Iran, ending in a climatic showdown in the Persian Gulf. Throughout, he is buffeted by his doubts about his own motives and the consequences of uncovering truths that many want to see concealed.Drawing on actual events that occurred during the time, the story brings the reader into a high-stakes world of power where little is as it seems.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Raghav Singh is a software product manager. He is a native of India and has resided in the United States for the last sixteen years. This is his first book. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595294634
• ISBN-13: 978-0595294633
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,721,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great political thriller, October 13, 2003

By 

Steve Reardon (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Presidential Pardon (Paperback)

This is a well written and fast paced novel. I finished it over a weekend. Quite honestly, it was hard to put down. The plot involves a journalist's quest to uncover the truth of George Bush's (Senior) involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal. Those of us who remember it knew then that his claims about not knowing anything about it had to be a lie. The author resurrects the scandal in some detail and presents it as the background to an excellent story with a very compelling plot.

I have to wonder if this story is entirely fictional. There are elements of it that make a lot of sense in terms of what occurred before and after the scandal broke. Frankly, some of it's scary if true.

Overall, this is an excellent read with a very compelling plot. There's a twist at the end that no one could every predict, but which like parts of the story is very real. Again, I have to question that this is just fiction.

5.0 out of 5 stars Author As Human Surveillance Machine, January 22, 2007

By 

John-Ivan Palmer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Presidential Pardon (Paperback)

I was surprised at how quickly and consistently Presidential Pardon held my undivided attention. For all the encyclopedic detail on everything from warships, communications systems, military strategy, bars, museums, the layout of buildings and streets, underground political strategy, and spy techniques, it was very easy to read quickly. No small feat for an author to pull off. The book is an insightful history lesson as well, binging together a lot of elements I remember reading about at the time, but never really seeing from this unusual and chilling perspective. It could all be real! It shows just how close we are to the most disastrous of events. One of the signs of a successful writing achievement is when the reader keeps thinking about it long after the last page is finished. That's the effect of Presidential Pardon had on me.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great suspense and intrigue!, December 31, 2003

By 

R. Abbas "bookworm" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Presidential Pardon (Paperback)

What a great tale of political intrigue from this first-time author! Like Steve Reardon, I found myself believing that this telling was probably closer to the truth than anything we read in the press at the time of the Iran Contra Affair.

Singh does a great job building suspense and keeping the reader hanging. I had a hard time putting the book down. A most engaging read!