Fixers

Former Lehman Brothers partner Thomas (Love and Money) doesn't make it easy for readers to buy into this outlandish novel's conspiracy theory about the election of Barack Obama. Excerpts from the diary of Chauncey Suydam, a former CIA agent, reveal the "truth" behind major political events. In February 2007, Chauncey's old boss at the Company, Leon Mankoff, asks him to fix the upcoming presidential election. Mankoff predicts that the country will be hit by a financial collapse so far-reaching that everyone will be clamoring for the heads of those responsible. Both Chauncey and Mankoff believe that a President Hillary Clinton would be hell-bent on sending the irresponsible money men to jail%E2%80%94and that Obama, referred to elliptically as "Our Guy," would not. Obama's campaign is offered a $75 million bribe, in the form of campaign contributions laundered to appear to come from small donors, in exchange for agreeing to put in place officials sympathetic to Wall Street. Unfortunately, a plodding plot doesn't do justice to a tantalizing what-if scenario sure to offend Obama supporters. (Jan.)