J. F. Cronin

The President of the United States, and his wealthy cronies, will stop at nothing to retain power.

It Could Happen Here – A Roadmap to Disaster is a political fiction novel by author J.F. Cronin, about corruption in the highest state of office in the United States. The President, Wilbur Barron, calls Eric King, the wealthy CEO of International Surveillance, Security and Construction (ISSAC), requesting his expertise in planning an election strategy. Eric is a trusted associate of the President, and he often takes on jobs that are unadvertised, sometimes shady, and often secretive. The President is insecure, and he praises dictators who have inherited their positions. He knows he is going to have a hard time winning the next election and will stop at nothing to succeed and retain power.

Eric meets with the President, and two other wealthy advisers, and they discuss how to discredit the opposition in the upcoming election campaign, the potential impact on the presidency of a new contagious virus that is spreading across the world, and the introduction of mail-in ballots. They consider a legal strategy to overturn the election in the event of a loss, and the use of military, if required. King is incredulous, but he weighs up his concerns about the democratic process and decides that money and power are more important to him. Will the wealthy, elite keep Barron in office? And how will they respond if he loses the election?

It Could Happen Here – A Roadmap to Disaster, is a gripping political drama about a president, who will stop at nothing to retain power. The president and his wealthy cronies, hungry for money and power, develop a sinister plan to keep him in office. Cronin writes ‘They were all that stood between democracy and anarchy’. Their plan, if successful would damage the electoral process and destroy democracy in the United States.

This is a well written, believable and convincing political drama, with many similarities to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Cronin questions whether it could happen in the United States. It is terrifying to think it could.

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A believable and gripping political drama about a president who will stop at nothing to retain power. Not to be missed.