The First Gentleman

It's pretty rare for me to give a book a 5-star review. The Patterson-Clinton collaboration on "The First Gentleman" is that good, though. It's a page-turner from start to finish, with no slow spots. The authors create a story about First Husband Cole Wright that is believable and thrilling. The story revolves around the murder of a New England Patriots cheerleader who was also the secret girlfriend of then-New England Patriots tight end Cole Wright.
There are a couple of side plots that add to the novel's suspense, not to mention the twists and turns involved with the murder. Protagonists Garrett and Brea take on the challenge of investigating the cheerleader's murder through the writing of a book about it. They get much more than they show more bargain for in the process.
Some outstanding courtroom scenes and many memorable characters add to a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.
Highly recommended! show less

A political and legal thriller that you won’t put down until the very last page!

President Madeline Parson Wright is about to reveal a legacy plan to overhaul the economic disaster facing the United States. As she’s scrambling to put last votes in line, her husband, the First Gentleman, is arrested and accused of committing a murder. Cole Wright, ex tight end for the Patriots, now avid supporter of his wife, is on trial for the crime committed against a former cheerleader, Suzanne Bonanno, almost 20 years ago when they were both connected to the team and they were dating, against team and NFL rules.

Of course there are many who don’t believe Cole did it, but there are two people are determined to prove him guilty and who intend to show more write an expose nonfiction book covering the story. Brea Cooke and Garrett Wilson go behind the scenes, contact family and other people involved to create a narrative that will bring Cole Wright to justice. The trial promises to be epic.

There was so much going on in this book and so many different characters — some you’ll like and others who turn your stomach or rub you the wrong way. You may think you know where this is going, only to find a new twist or revelation popping up that sheds a new light on things. I loved the way the book was written and the style used by authors Patterson and Clinton to keep me hooked so that I read the book in a single sitting. Totally hooked and fully invested in the outcome. The trial scenes were great and I’m a sucker for the legal stuff so I couldn’t get enough. I’ve not read any other books by this duo but I plan to rectify that.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publishers. The four different narrators did a masterful job of bringing the story to life and the production was extremely well done. The tone, the dramatic flair, the accents, and the sound effects really enhanced my enjoyment of the novel. My favorite voices were those of the men and the voice of Brea got on my nerves at times, but overall I definitely recommend. show less

This ended up being a great thriller! I wasn't quite sure about the plot at the beginning but it definitely grabbed me and had me switching who was guilty and finally I was on the edge of my seat hoping the book would catch up with my verdict! The ending added some interesting governing solutions which I am sure was all Bill Clinton! So glad he got that into the book - Sounds like a very interesting and do able solution to our national budget issues - even sharing Al Gore's lock box ideas - absolutely loved that and secretly hoping someone picks up on this and expands it into reality! Great Book!

I stopped reading James Patterson’s books several years ago because I think he insults his readers. THE FIRST GENTLEMAN is 466 pages long you could easily have lost 100 pages because of his excessively short chapters, 142 of them. Unless Patterson has stock in a paper manufacturing company there is no reason to split one scene into several chapters.
I have read his other cosponsorship’s with Bill Clinton and liked them. THE FIRST GENTLEMAN is no exception.
Cole Wright is married to Madeline Parson Wright, the first female President of the United States whom he knew from their college years. Now in the third year of her first term, an incident from his past this coming to haunt them.
Twenty years earlier, Cole had been a star show more college football player who became a professional. He was dating a professional cheerleader, Suzanne Bonanno. It was illegal for players and cheerleaders to date each other. One night as she was preparing to move to Boston from New Hampshire, she disappeared. The case was never solved.
Suddenly, the story reappeared as lawyer Brea Cooke and author Garrett Wilson began investigating whether Cole had murdered her. As their investigation continues, several key sources involved with the case are murdered.
Meanwhile, President Wright was working on new program she called the Grand Bargain. It was a major plan to change the problems she saw in the United States. Many of the details were being kept secret while she was very busy trying to get enough supporters in Congress so the bill would passed. The book described the process as “When somebody gets out of line, highway funds for his district might mysteriously get held up. A promised military base might need to be relocated. A congressman with a safe seat might suddenly see a well-funded primary opponent on the horizon.”
Most readers will decide earlier on that Cole is not guilty. The verdict is not revealed until near the very end of the book. show less

Madeline "Maddie" Parsons Wright is President of the United States, having won a contentious battle for the nomination. The country is facing a major fiscal crisis and she and her staff have come up with the Grant Bargain to solve the problem, but she needs by-in from a majority of Congress to get it through. Her husband, Cole, is a former Patriots football player who it is rumored was implicated in the death of Suzanne, a Patriots' Cheerleader seventeen years ago. Burton Pearce, the president's chief of staff, Maddie, and Cole were students at Dartmouth at the same time. Garrett Wilson, an author and journalistic investigator, and Brea Cooke, a lawyer and investigative journalist, uncover a story about Cole's past when Cole and Maddie show more were Dartmouth students and again when Cole was a Patriot's football player 17 years ago. Garrett and Brea are gathering the information needed to write a book about the murder. However, someone, or some group, is killing people if they get too close to the truth of what happened. Cole is charged with 2nd degree murder. The trial takes up a substantial part of the book as does Garrett and Brea's investigation. show less

Great book! Brea and Garret are writing a book about an incident that occurred 17 years prior involving the President’s husband who was involved with a cheerleader while he was a football player with the New England Patriots. She disappeared and her body was never found. As they investigate and talk to friends and family, Garret gets a lead that involves the mafia in RI and suffers a horrific beating after speaking to the “don” and later is involved in a car accident. Brea continues without Garret and convers the trial of the First Gentlemen and learns more information before the ending.

Maddy Wright is the first female president of the United States. Her husband, Cole Wright, First Gentleman is an ex-New England Patriots football player. He was the former boyfriend of New England Patriot cheerleader, Suzanne Bonanno who disappeared. He is accused of murdering her. While his wife deals with an international crisis, Wright is put on trial. The First Gentleman insists he is innocent. the trial is mainly built on circumstantial evidence. Maddy is worried that for the first time in history that the spouse of a president will go to prison.