The President's Dossier

By: James A. Scott
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication: September 2020
ISBN: 978-1608094134
Reviewed by: Risah Salazar
Review Date: July 21, 2020

Kicked out of the CIA after somehow being framed by his girlfriend, Claudia, Agent Max Geller is looking for a new job. It all started with Claudia initiating an email exchange expressing Max’s negative bias towards the president. He’s now putting his best foot forward to possible future employers, but after the news of him dissing the POTUS has circulated, no one wants him on their side.

Three weeks later, a lawyer named Bill Bowen approaches Max while he’s having a drink at a bar. To say that Bowen’s got a big offer for him is an understatement. What he wants is for Max to verify the content and the sources of the infamous Ironside Dossier, in exchange for ten million dollars. This dossier is a set of incriminating evidence against Ted Walldrum, the winning Republican candidate for the next US election.

Bowen seems like the real deal as he provides everything Max might need for this dangerous operation. Immediately after this strange encounter, Rodney, his former boss at the CIA, calls him. Lo and behold, Rodney’s business invitation is not far from Bowen’s. Why is everyone after him and the dossier? Not that he’s complaining -- he needs the money. With the help of his long-time trusted friends and a surprise assistant from Bowen named Jill Rucker, he travels to England, Russia, Panama, and Switzerland to finish the job.

James A. Scott’s The President’s Dossier is a thrilling and chilling spy fiction. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and detail-oriented. The story is excruciatingly complex; it’s hard to keep track of everything that’s happening. There’s also an unsettling tension that leads to something bigger and scandalous. In the end, it’s a splendid thing to see how all these entanglements loosen up and satisfyingly play out.

The overall tone is serious and intellectual. Scott sure knows his craft and his unquestionable background becomes evident as he relays the story. There’s good representation and balance among the characters. This is not like most espionage thrillers where the stage is dominated by men. Here, there are bad-ass women too who are up for the job.

Quill says: The President’s Dossier tells a game of power, authority, and stealth that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.