Code of the Forest

Buchan draws from his background in law and journalism for his remarkable fiction debut, a novel of political corruption set in Washington, D.C. in the 1990s. South Carolina Senator Buck Ravenel has just been outed by Wade McNabb for having accepted a bribe in exchange for his lobbying power on behalf of a proposed chemical plant in his home state. The powerful Ravenel quickly retaliates, and sues McNabb in an effort to expose the reporter's source and cripple the small paper. McNabb teams up with young local trial attorney%E2%80%94and love interest%E2%80%94Kate Stewart, and the duo valiantly take a stand against the crooked Senator. McNabb and Stewart's battle against the "good-old-boy networks" of Capitol Hill makes for a thrilling story, and Buchan's decades-long involvement with his subject matter lends a refreshing authenticity to the tale and its major players. Fans of John Grisham will relish this new voice. (May)