Hillary Clinton Is Writing A Political Thriller Novel & I'm Weirdly Into It
Are you a fan of riveting political dramas like West Wing, House of Cards, or Scandal? Then Hillary Clinton's upcoming political thriller novel, State of Terror, may be right up your alley. While Clinton's pivot from politician to novelist isn't exactly the career move anyone expected, I'm weirdly fascinated by it. After all, the book could provide readers with some very compelling insight into Clinton's own life and career at the White House.
The upcoming book, will be released on Oct. 12, was announced on Feb. 23, per People magazine. Described by publishers Simon & Schuster and St. Martin's Press as a "a unique collaboration by two long-time friends and thriller aficionados," the novel takes an informed approach to political fiction: Per the synopsis, "the story follows a novice Secretary of State who has joined the administration of her rival, a president inaugurated after four years of American leadership that shrank from the world stage." The novel follows the secretary as she unravels "a scheme carefully designed to take advantage of an American government dangerously out of touch and out of power in the places where it counts the most." A dangerously out of touch administration, huh? I wonder what that could be based on.
Before running for president in 2016, Clinton served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, meaning State of Terror is sure to have plenty of juicy details about the inner workings of international diplomacy (and the moments when it goes off the rails) only a political insider would know. She's also hardly been absent in the years since she left an official political role — after losing the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump, she often criticized his administration on social media and in public events.
Clinton penned the novel alongside Louise Penny, author of the award-winning Armand Gamache murder-mystery series. "When it was suggested my friend Hillary and I write a political thriller together, I could not say yes fast enough," Penny said in a Feb. 23 book release announcement. She noted how thrilling it was to get an inside look at the White House during times of crisis. "Before we started, we talked about [Clinton's] time as Secretary of State. What was her worst nightmare? State of Terror is the answer," Penny added.
As it turns out, Clinton is a long-time fan of Penny's writing. "I've relished every one of her books and their characters as well as her friendship," Clinton said of Penny. "Now we're joining our experiences to explore the complex world of high stakes diplomacy and treachery. All is not as it first appears."
Since her tenure as secretary of state ended in 2013, Clinton has kept a busy schedule. In addition to running for president in 2016, she has published several biographical memoirs, founded the political action committee Onward Together in 2017, and even got her own Hulu documentary in 2020.
So if you've got a borderline unhealthy obsession with political drama and a penchant for an inside perspective, you may want to check this novel out. While State of Terror is a fiction book, can it possibly be any more dramatic than the past few years?
