My 7 year old son loves to hear Cam Jansen stories. This was a great little mystery book for all those your mystery lovers out there!

Who is this David Corn guy and where has he been hiding? Well, regardless of where he's been, he's here now. And he has written a breathtaking, heartstopping political thriller--perhaps the best Washington-insider novel since Jim Grady's "Six Days of the Condor," which was cut in half for the Robert Redford movie. Who will play Nick Addis in the film that will surely be made from Corn's "Deep Background"?

This is a good one! Corn, the Washington editor of The Nation, makes effective use of his insider perspective, not to mention the D.C. locale. You'll have fun deciphering the references to classic political literature (where DID he get the idea for the stuttering faithful retainer). The roman a clef aspects come at you like a Pedro Martinez change-up; for example, the Clintonesque president is a Vietnam hero, not a draft evader.

Well-paced, written with a reporter's eye, and sophisticated, Deep Background is an all too believable account of the aftermath of a political assassination. Hang on tight as presential aide Nick Addis, CIA analyst Julia Lancette, and discredit Secret Service chief Clarence follow paths that ultimately converge on the inevitable, disillusioning truth.

Combine the political acumen of Allen Drury with the plotmanship of John Grisham. Throw in some flashes of wit and plays on every political cliche of recent years (Governor-Presidential candidate personally oversees execution of retarded black man for campaign advantage; First Lady as co-President and ambitious candidate; Chappaquiddick-style drowning of appealing young woman; corrupt covert operations with high-level approval, etc.), and you have the flavor of David Corn's impressive debut novel, Deep Background. The President is killed, but not by a conspiracy. Even the cover-up isn't truly conspiratorial. But the killer's motive, and the lethal efforts of high officials to prevent its disclosure, drive this complex and (because it's so very plausible) frightening tale that will leave you hungry for real-world heroes like Corn's.

Regardless of one's views on the CIA, it becomes quickly apparent that Corn's account of Agency activities, most of them pre-dating Church Committee hearings, is an extremely biased one. This is like reading an extended editorial column from an avid critic. The research is certainly thorough, although his admittedly extensive use of anonymous sources throws even more doubt on how much of the book can be taken at face value. Because the narratives primarily critique specific decisions and operations, it is easy to forget that Corn has chosen Shackley as the primary character. He is never really established as such. Expect to spend lots of time reading about operations in SE Asia. I do not at all agree that this book is essential reading for those interested in the intelligence community. For a more entertaining account of the inner workings of the Directorate of Operations (DO) during roughly the same time period, take a look at "The Night Watch" by David Atlee Philips. To my knowledge, Corn has never worked for the CIA. Philips served in various capacities within the DO.

Although Ted Shackley was a line case officer, this book is placed within the paramilitary section because his entire career encompassed a series of wars where the CIA played a very tragic and unproductive role. As Shackley's deputy in Laos is quoted on page 163, speaking on Shakley's accomplishments in Laos, "We spent a lot of money and got a lot of people killed," Lair remembered, "and we didn't get much for it." For those seeking to understand the bureaucratization of the Directorate of Operations, both in the field and in Washington, this is essential reading.