Echo House (1997)

Didn't love this as much as An Unfinished Season, but maybe that's because of my Chicago bias. This novel, set in DC, follows the political lives of three generations of the Behl family and their friends, lovers, and associates.Much of the political intrigue is described obliquely, and never fully explained (which is appropriate for characters who prefer to work in the shadows). ( )

Covering three generations equaling 90 years of politics and power struggles, Ward Just follows the lives of the Behl family starting with Adolph and Constance Behl and their quest (notice I said their quest) for the White House. Adolph's son, Axel and grandson, Alec continue the saga with their own political ambitions (although Alec goes the legal route becoming a lawyer). Supporting them, and sometimes leaving them, are the women who forever loved them, loved power and had ambitions of their own. Ward Just includes an entire host of Washington characters as well as well-known political events through history. At the center of it all is the Behl family mansion, Echo House. Built to be the next White House it is the scene of secrets of all kinds. Dirty secrets, family secrets, secrets told, secrets kept, secrets that help, secrets that hurt. While nothing terribly exciting happens it's what doesn't happen that makes Echo House such fun to read. ( )

Great read. ( )