The Hearing (39 page)

Gus’s political opponents uncover a daughter from a pregnancy Gus thought his wife, then his fiancée, had aborted twelve years
before. The existence of Samantha, a lovely young girl with a troubled past, unleashes a media feeding frenzy that rocks his
nomination. Gus has to handle a vacillating White House, unmerciful members of Congress, and a beautiful lobbyist whose agenda
of compassion is fueled by a calculated ruthlessness. Then, beset by forces from both the left and the right, Gus and his
wife, Michelle, are plunged into a world of blackmail, suicide, and terror.

Now the nominee must make the most difficult decision of his life. Faced with two choices—to embrace a lie or do something
he knows is desperately, unalterably wrong—he will make an astonishing decision.

The story of a courageous man torn between family loyalty and the passion to serve his country in the highest way, THE HEARING
is a scathing indictment of the political system as well as a white-knuckle thriller. And it is something more. The crowning
achievement of one of America’s premier fiction voices, it is a story of redemption—and the power of love.

J
AMES
M
ILLS
is an award-winning journalist and author of eight novels, including two
New York Times
bestsellers,
Report to the Commissioner
, a novel, and
The Underground Empire
, a study of international narcotics trafficking. Two of his books have become major motion pictures, his work has been anthologized
in journalism and law school texts, and he has testified as an expert witness before a congressional panel on international
crime.

“A disturbing book that is part of the literature of our times.”

—
San Francisco Chronicle on Panic in Needle Park

“The best police story I have ever read.”

—
Chicago Tribune on Report to the Commissioner

“Mills probably understands crime better than anyone else in the country.”

—
Chicago Tribune on On the Edge

“The mind boggles! Extraordinary and consciousness-raising.”

—
New York Times on The Underground Empire

“A thriller-horror story … a winning combination.”

—UPI on
The Power

“Nifty … chilling … a convincing tale that’ll knock your socks off.”

—
Los Angeles Times on Haywire