Jake Tapper’s ‘Hellfire Club’ is insightful novel

“The Hellfire Club” (Little, Brown), by Jake Tapper

CNN’s Jake Tapper dives into the world of historical fiction and produces “The Hellfire Club,” an insightful novel that echoes today’s political landscape.

In January 1954, at the height of McCarthyism and when policies were decided behind closed doors, Charlie Marder receives a congressional appointment. It’s a temporary posting until the next election, and his colleagues treat him as naive and lacking in skills.

Charlie’s ethics, his trust in others and his strong morality don’t fit into the world that he’s been thrust into, and in order to survive, he may have to go against his principles. His wife, Margaret, is a zoologist, and as she struggles to maintain her credibility in a male-dominated field, she also finds herself slowly slipping away from her husband. Charlie has to fight to prove that his appointment was worthy and also has to do everything he can to keep his marriage intact.

Tapper takes readers back to a Washington remembered for being a time of distrust and potential future conflicts. Key historical figures interact with Tapper’s fictional characters, and with his sources at the end of the novel showcasing his research, it almost feels like everything actually happened. It is fiction, however, well-written and worthwhile.

JEFF AYERS, Associated Press