Duplicity by Dr Newt Gingrich

Brooke Grant #1

by Newt Gingrich, Pete Earley

The greatest nightmare for the free world today would be a master terrorist hiding somewhere, controlling and coordinating radical Islamic groups at the highest level around the globe. In DUPLICITY, the newest thriller from former Speaker of the House and bestselling author Newt Gingrich, such an invisible hand overseeing havoc worldwide plays a major role. Gingrich has teamed with former Washington Post reporter and bestselling author Pete Earley to create a highly plausible mix of domestic and global action in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller. And of course, it's set during an American presidential election. When President Sally Allworth decides to reestablish America's Mogadishu embassy in Somalia weeks before Election Day, her challenger says she is playing politics with American lives. That turns out to be true when the embassy is attacked and hostages are taken. Embassy station chief Gunter Conner and Marine captain Brooke Grant end up the unlikely survivors of this Benghazi-style attack. Suddenly, they are the only hope for saving their captured colleagues. The firestorm of drama is compelling, set off by the intersection of Washington power and politics, a fragile third-world Islamic country, and Somali Americans here at home. Only Newt Gingrich's unique in-depth knowledge of the political realities of friend and foe could weave such a spellbinding tale of events and personalities, one that could actually happen . . . if America's leaders aren't wary of a world full of DUPLICITY

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Political Thriller, Novels, Audiobook

Unknown Binding

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Newt Gingrich is well-known as the architect of the “Contract with America” that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in forty years. After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people. Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, the first balanced budget in a generation, and the first tax cut in sixteen years. In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.

Today Newt Gingrich is a Fox News contributor. He is a Senior Advisor at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm with more than 6,500 lawyers in 50 countries and offices in more than 125 cities. He advises the firm’s world-class Public Policy and Regulation practice. He is also a Senior Scientist at Gallup.

From May 2011 to May 2012, Newt Gingrich was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, winning the South Carolina and the Georgia primaries. The campaign was especially notable for its innovative policy agenda, its effort to bring new coalitions into the Republican fold, and for Newt’s debate performances. His $2.50 a gallon energy plan set off a nationwide discussion about the use of America’s energy resources.
But there is a lot more to Newt Gingrich than these remarkable achievements. As an author, Newt has published twenty-nine books including 14 fiction and nonfiction New York Times best-sellers.
Non-fiction books include his latest, Breakout, in addition to A Nation Like No Other, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, To Save America, Rediscovering God in America, 5 Principles for a Successful Life, Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less, Real Change, A Contract with the Earth, Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America, To Renew America, Lessons Learned the Hard Way, Saving Lives & Saving Money, Window of Opportunity, and The Art of Transformation. He is also the author of a series of historical fiction books including, Gettysburg, Grant Comes East, Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant the Final Victory, 1945, Pearl Harbor, Days of Infamy, To Make Men Free, To Try Men’s Souls, Valley Forge, and Victory at Yorktown. These novels are active history studies in the lessons of warfare based on fictional accounts of historical wartime battles and their aftermaths. His latest novel, Treason, is the sequel to Duplicity and is a thriller of Washington intrigue and international terrorism.

Newt and his wife, Callista, host and produce historical and public policy documentaries. Recent films include The First American, Divine Mercy: The Canonization of John Paul II, A City Upon A Hill, America at Risk, Nine Days That Changed The World, Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, Rediscovering God in America, Rediscovering God in America II: Our Heritage, and We Have the Power.

In his post-Speaker role, Newt has become one of the most highly sought-after public speakers, accepting invitations to speak before prestigious organizations throughout the world. Because of his own unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Newt is able to share unique and unparalleled insights on a wide range of topics. His audiences find him to be not only educational but also inspirational. For more information about Newt’s speaking engagements, please visit the Worldwide Speakers Group.

Widely recognized for his commitment to a better system of health for all Americans, his leadership in the U.S. Congress helped save Medicare from bankruptcy, prompted FDA reform to help the seriously ill and initiated a new focus on research, prevention, and wellness. His contributions have been so great that the American Diabetes Association awarded him their highest non-medical award and the March of Dimes named him their 1995 Citizen of the Year.
To foster a modern health system that provide

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how much of this book Gingrich actually wrote, for a while there, it seemed like he had a new book out every day.

In this one, the first female President of the United States decides to open an embassy in Mogadishu, so that she can say Somalia is safe. Of course, it isn't and bad things happens.

A fair to middling political thriller.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Spy vs Spy stuff and I thought " Shoot, Newt Gingrich probably has a bunch of ales to tell from Capitol Hill." So I picked this book up and went of the great thrill ride you could ever want to be on. The Characters, which for me are a big part of a great story, were really well drawn. You rooted for the good guys and well I wont tell you any thing about the bad guys. Don't want to spoil it for you. But just know that Captain Brooke Grant, General Frank Grant, are entirely well written and believable. Their interaction is so crisply written that you believe you just over heard someone else's conversation or were watching as a fly on the wall would.



I love the way President Sally Allworth and her presidential rival interact and how we are given a glimpse of the behind the scenes scheming that goes on. These are just a very small piece of the large group of well written and fully developed characters that are woven in and out of this story. I was ecstatic to read that there is a sequel planned for next year.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newt Gingrich and Pete Earley in their new book, “Duplicity” published by FaithWords take us into the life of President Sally Allworth.

From the back cover: The greatest nightmare for the free world today would be a master terrorist hiding somewhere, controlling and coordinating radical Islamic groups at the highest level around the globe.

In DUPLICITY, the newest thriller from former Speaker of the House and bestselling author Newt Gingrich, such an invisible hand overseeing havoc worldwide plays a major role. Gingrich has teamed with former Washington Post reporter and bestselling author Pete Earley to create a highly plausible mix of domestic and global action in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller.

And of course, it’s set during an American presidential election.

When President Sally Allworth decides to reestablish America’s Mogadishu embassy in Somalia weeks before Election Day, her challenger says she is playing politics with American lives. That turns out to be true when the embassy is attacked and hostages are taken. Embassy station chief Gunter Conner and Marine captain Brooke Grant end up the unlikely survivors of this Benghazi-style attack. Suddenly, they are the only hope for saving their captured colleagues.

The firestorm of drama is compelling, set off by the intersection of Washington power and politics, a fragile third-world Islamic country, and Somali Americans here at home.

Only Newt Gingrich’s unique in-depth knowledge of the political realities of friend and foe could weave such a spellbinding tale of events and personalities, one that could actually happen . . . if America’s leaders aren’t wary of a world full of DUPLICITY.

If anyone is going to be able to talk about insider political deals it is going to be former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. With Duplicity he links up with Pete Earley and prove this to be true. Mr. Gingrich takes us behind the doors of Washington power as our first woman President is running for reelection. It is not going to be easy. President Allworth is still trying to run the government at the same time she is out campaigning. Mr. Gingrich has given us a behind the scenes Washington drama that is also a suspense thriller. Once the action gets going Mr. Gingrich revs up the thriller quotient considerably which will have you reading and flipping pages as fast as you can. Don’t start “Duplicity” late at night because it will be very difficult to put it down or stop thinking about it. I am sure you will enjoy reading this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from FaithWords. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on the fence about giving this 3 stars or 4. It had multiple characters and the story switched back and forth between them. It was hard keeping them straight at times. The book was written in 2015 and was a fairly typical political thriller. It was interesting and held my attention but many of the characters were unlikable. Perhaps there was too much reality in the description of politics.

[Tom S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good fast paced political thriller. The CIA, the military are chasing a terrorist group, and a presidential election hangs in the balance.

[Gitisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel started off slow and it was a challenge to keep track of so many characters. However, it picked up after a few chapters and was filled with action and international intrigue. It was interesting to get a glimpse of behind the scenes scheming that goes on in politics. Looking forward to read the sequel.

[Tim Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read my review at http://world-of-sleuths.blogspot.com/....

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Kept me completely engaged.

[Kay Sloate · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never found a book that I did not finish reading, but this one came close

[Bev Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good international thriller dealing with the US against radical Islam. I especially appreciated the values of the main characters, and forthright descriptions of what the Koran teaches as justification for terror. Gingrich's insider knowledge helps with believability. Pete Earley is a good reader.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duplicity is a tautly plotted thriller that had me hoping and praying that the events of the novel would never take place in real life! The action starts from page one and doesn't let go as events from across the world collide with the political posturing taking place during a race for presidency. As a Canadian reading this novel, I certainly hope that the American presidential candidates do not actually act in the manner depicted in this fictionalized novel. And yet you have to wonder how the race to become president of the most powerful nation in the world could even stay free of corruption! Is such a thing even possible? As I found myself moving through the chapters, I really enjoyed how the authors wove together the events of the election race with the acts of terror taking place in Somalia. The scenes of the story that occur in the war torn African country are chilling to observe as the authors deftly bring to life a country where even the good guys are bad, and terrorists are everywhere. The action is all-too believable, and some of the characters are downright creepy. Perhaps my only disappointment with this novel is that there didn't seem to be any clear hero, someone who truly seemed like a character of integrity from the get go, though Brooke comes closest to meeting that description. But perhaps that is intentional on the authors behalf, as none of us can claim to be perfect, and in Duplicity we see a whole cast of characters with ulterior motives and questionable ethics.

I always enjoy a novel of good versus evil, a novel filled with action and international intrigue. Duplicity certainly fits the bill, but it also reminds us that good and evil can become blurred until we are not even sure who are the good guys any more. Readers looking for a well-paced novel with excellent characters and a story that could be ripped from the headlines should plan on picking up a copy of this timely book. 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group Canada, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Charity Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a deep breath and hold on! Newt Gingrich brings us an explosive story of the religious wars of our day. With Islamic attacks on the American Embassy in Somalia, we see an eye opening and realistic picture of what life is like in the twenty-first century.

Absolutely entertaining and gripping. This author really sees the big picture of how politics work. The characters were interesting and deep while the book moved along quickly. I highly recommend IF you won't be terrified with how realistic it is. haha :)

Thank you, Hachette Book Groups, for this great read. As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!!!

[Linda Quick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - it is a tightly crafted political thriller that grabbed my attention from the first page and kept it until the very last page. In it, a sitting president, shortly before a re-election, makes a political play that plays havoc with peoples' lives and creates an international incident that is all too plausibly real and harkens back to actual past events.

This is the first book I've read by the authors, but it won't be the last. I've added them to my must read authors' list. If you are a fan of the genre, you will love this book.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a rule I generally avoid dual- authored books , especially when one of the authors is the actual writer and the other is a celebrity. I beleive that the celeb has an idea for a book and hires a proven writer to, well, write, while the celeb uses his or her familiarity and experience to buff up the landscape, and his/ her notariety to hype sales.
Thus, with Mr. Gringrich lending his knowledge of D.C. political machinations the reader gets a feeling of reality of the swampiness of that dismal swamp of America . People inhabiting the political stratosphere are even less admirable than imagined, if possible, and even more self-praising. Moreover, the reader has to wade through detailed description of places, especially posh places, than necessary. We have then detailed descriptions of swanky hotel rooms ( not just gray 100% Egyptian sheets, but matching graystressed leather headboards, etc. and no doubt matching Grey Goose Vodka) , of embassy parties, and inner sanctums of powerful men in their power offices. Ok of you like the People Magazine treatment, but all that bull---- does slow down the story.
There is a good plot line with an American-born Muslim terrorist attack US interests being hunted by a relentless, some say obsessed, CIA man in a well described Mogadishu, one of the latrines of the world. The book does have its exciting moments, just if you can wade through the other stuff. If only Mr. Gringrich has stayed out of the way and let his co-author, the writer, do his job to build, pace and develop the book.
There is some gratuitous sex between the required bewitching female , in this case a USMC officer attached to the US embassy in London and her beau, a French diplomat for spice. One laughable moment comes early in the book when the officer, on her way to meet her father, a general, of course, for dinner, spies a shifty character . She senses a threat and literally runs him down and tackles him in Grovesnor Square. How she did that while wearing a uniform skirt and modest heels is a wonder. But then, we wonder, since one thing the authors do not describe in detail was her clothes.
There is also violence as to be expected. What is not expected is that the bad dudes ,allied and enemy , are much more intelligent and interesting than the supposed heroes.
Summary: one finishes "Duplicity" wondering what Mr. Early might have turned out on his own.
As it is, there are many better writers of books of the political genre available. Find and read them.
Therefore, closer to a 2star than a 3 star rating , IMHO.

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of political dramas like Madam Secretary, Jack Reacher (TV show), or House of Cards will enjoy this series.

Admittedly I'm not a regular reader of 'political' fiction, so I don't have a lot to compare this to. I was intrigued because it was written by Newt Gingrich. I'm not sure how much he wrote this, but even if it was only 20% I'm impressed.

What I can say is that I enjoyed the book even though I can be pretty hit or miss with the above TV shows. I usually like them when I watch them it's just that I tend to pick other things to watch (or realistically, read) instead. Reading political books also tends to make me loathe/hate/be paranoid about the FBI/NSA/CIA/politicans even more than usual. This book is very "timely" and "ripped from the headlines" as in it feels very familiar and "close to home" (if you like that sort of thing). This is not in a galaxy far, far away.

There is a good bit a commentary on US politics and our social "practices" in this book, which I appreciated. For example, one of the terrorists talks about how Americans say they are against or won't due torture for information yet they romanticize it in all their films.

SUMMARY: Current president is up for reelection. Her biggest opponent is a billionaire with no political experience (sound familiar?). The president's strategist suggests she create an embassy in Somalia to win the election. She does this and, predictably, shiitake hits the fan. The Americans sent over there are either killed or held hostage by Islamic extremists/terrorists. The book follows the president, her opponent, two American survivors in Somalia (one of which is a marine, Brooke Grant, who apparently goes on to more books... I didn't realize this was a series until logging it here), and a Somalian politician in America and how he feels about what is happening and how both sides try to get something on him to make him their puppet to swing American voters.

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Duplicity, the newest thriller from former Speaker of the House and bestselling author Newt Gingrich, such an invisible hand overseeing havoc worldwide plays a major role. Gingrich has teamed with former Washington Post reporter and bestselling author Pete Earley to create a highly plausible mix of domestic and global action in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller.

And of course, it's set during an American presidential election.

When President Sally Allworth decides to reestablish America's Mogadishu embassy in Somalia weeks before Election Day, her challenger says she is playing politics with American lives. That turns out to be true when the embassy is attacked and hostages are taken. Embassy station chief Gunter Conner and Marine captain Brooke Grant end up the unlikely survivors of this Benghazi-style attack. Suddenly, they are the only hope for saving their captured colleagues.

The firestorm of drama is compelling, set off by the intersection of Washington power and politics, a fragile third-world Islamic country, and Somali Americans here at home.

Only Newt Gingrich's unique in-depth knowledge of the political realities of friend and foe could weave such a spellbinding tale of events and personalities, one that could actually happen . . . if America's leaders aren't wary of a world full of Duplicity.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is billed as a ‘political thriller’ and I must admit, part of the reason I purchased it was to see what kind of writer Newt Gingrich is. But really, who could tell? Pete Earley could have written it with Gingrich just provided the ‘color’. Nevertheless, there are some authentic sounding political insights including current themes and, I thought, are evenhanded as regarding liberal versus conservative. (The political dealings, by the way, sound not only believable but sometimes disturbing in the manner dirt is dished against the opposition.)

It is simultaneously set in current day Washington DC and Mogadishu. As expected, there are occasional references to the 1999 “Back Hawk Down” incident and the storyline involves a plot to attack the US embassy, ala Benghazi. Also, is there a new Osama bin Laden-like mastermind lurking? (The quotes from the Ayatollah Khomeini regarding martyrdom are downright SCARY.)

Unfortunately, the dialogue was rather stilted and didn’t seem ‘real’. Overall, the book wasn’t bad – but wasn’t that good either. The political stuff was very interesting and while I’d kind-of like to see what’s going to happen with the ongoing story in the Brooke Grant series, I’m just not sure I I’ll read another.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's 1 AM and I am just finishing the book. I'm glad I work the noon shift tomorrow. If not, I would be juiced on caffeine and unable to keep from button holing people and telling them about this book. The story starts with what appears to be two unrelated world incidents then segues to DC where the current president is listening to her campaign manager who is trying to sell her on a slam dunk way to trump her opponent and win the upcoming election. The idea is to put an embassy in Somalia. Like that ended well the last time. As political maneuvering and common sense takes flight the plan goes forward - one small misstep at a time. The characters are very well drawn and the action is well paced. The female heroine is well done and adequately equipped for the job. I very much enjoyed the look at the locals in Somalia and how there are always two sides to every story. Just ordered the next book and handed this one on to my husband.

[Alan Smithee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book features a presidential race involving an incumbent female first-term president, who is pretty clearly modeled on Hillary Clinton, and her challenger, the governor of Florida who appears to have an American first agenda modeled largely on a Donald Trump type. In an attempt to appear tough on terrorist, the sitting president decides to open an embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia, with disastrous results. The plot was weak in places, and I found myself skipping over entire portions, including sections that had the Muslim terrorist characters spouting the usual justifications for their actions based on the belief they are doing Allah’s work. The book kept my interest enough to finish it, but overall, I rated it only three stars.

[Tom Tischler · Rating 4 out of 5]

When President Sally Allworth decides to reestablish America's Mogadishu embassy
in Somalia a week before Election Day her challenger says that she is playing politics
with American lives. This turns out to be true when the embassy is attacked and
hostages are taken. Embassy Chief Gunter Conner and marine captain Brooke Grant
end up the unlikely survivors of the attack. They are suddenly the only hope for
saving their captured colleagues. This is book 1 in the continuing tale of Captain Grant
and I thought that is was a pretty good story. Books 2 and 3 are to follow and I gave
this one a 4.5.

[Marty Mcintyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. Due to the nature of the subject matter and who the author was, I feared that it might be very partisan. It wasn't. This was a good story that tracks well with what is going on in the world today. Nothing is black or white. Other reviewers have said that the character of Major Brook Grant was mean or unlikeable. She was abrasive but given that her uncle was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs who kept getting her assigned to safer duty I can understand why she could get testy. There were times when the story was a little confusing but I am assuming that the loose ends will get tied up in future books.

[Ajitabh Pandey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a very long background and introduction. First 20 chapters were spent in building the plot and character background, and trust me there are too many characters to keep track of. But after that when the actual story starts, its a very fast paced book and it gets difficult to put it down.

The plot is a very recent real-world problem on terrorism and seems to be inspired by the US embassy attacks on Bengazhi, Libya, Iran etc. The reader also gets a very interesting introduction to behind the scene political wrestling.

[Marsha Golzar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

The best fiction is that which is so believable the line between reality and fantasy crosses over. This is a novel in that the characters are fictional but the facts of the political actors, the steady state of military and security agencies are very real. The information flow is concealed &convoluted by inter-agency distrust and their goals vs. elected politicians goals are never truth as all deliberately choose to hide truth from citizens. Accountability if even attempted doesn’t change anyone or anything.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining political/military action thriller that doesn't feel so Hollywood.
I like that Duplicity has an African American female Marine Captain, Brook Grant, as a main character. She is still young and not cynical to the world of politic and espionage intrigue, yet. But she's tough and her character still has more to grow into. The Islamic terrorist plot might be a bit old but still the political intrigues of D.C is compelling. I also like Stanton and Lake, they are real Capitol Hill pro. Every move they made are just so fun to read. OK, this is a continue series for me.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title for this book is very well chosen. Most of the characters in the book are devious and tell lies or act in a deceptive manner. It also says a lot about the cynicism of politicians. Considering that it's written by a politician, that's pretty disturbing. Unfortunately, it's almost certainly on target. It has a pretty compelling plot. The characters are mostly pretty one dimensional, but since it's a plot driven book that's not too much of a problem.

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could have come straight from the news media. (Sounds a lot like Benghazi.) President Sally Allworth wants to be reelected. Governor Coldridge challenges her.

From the White House to Somalia, this book moved. Political thriller at its best. In the midst of politicians, heroes arose.

Details sometimes slowed the book down, but when the action hit, it spiraled. Very good.

Brooke Grant - outstanding character.

[Todd G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright I’m hooked. Gingrich as an author = yep!

Fast paced, plausible (at least some of Newts work history involved here) and the characters are even fairly well developed. Granted the demise of one them was, for me, a surprise but still I was very much rooting for the good guys.

This could easily be ripped from the headlines. And even better it is only the first in a series based on one of the main characters....well I’m just hoping that Gingrich can keep up the awesome work.

[Prasanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best political thrillers i've read in recent times. It was fantastic read. The author has weaved a intricate plot where each character have their own agenda. A Lady president trying to win a 2nd term in Office and a Governor competing for the same Office, opposing the incumbent president of concentrating more on world affairs than America. The president decides to open embassy in Somalia and how things get complicated with somali terrorists interfering.

[James J · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s as if the government were run by junior high students, and the protagonist Brooke Grant were a 5th grader. I ended up liking the terrorists better than the good guys; at least their plans were fairly well thought out. Painful to finish. I listened to the audio version which didn’t help since the narrators portrayal of Brooke sounded like, well, a man trying to sound like a 5th grade girl. I would avoid.

[Mariah Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book, but can be confusing if you can't keep track of more than one event going on at once. It takes place right before the presidential election. She takes on a huge role that she promised chief Gunter Conner. After fighting many Arabs in Somalia, Captain Brooke Grant has to come home to the presidential election. Back in Washington, Jean-Paul Dufour is waiting for her.