This was very similar to 'The Emperor of Ocean Park' which I have just read: someone dies and leaves mysterious clues for the main protagonist to puzzle out while they work at Elm Harbor University. Here Kellen leaves clues for his former girlfriend Julia. The clues were ridiculously obtuse, Julia and the ex-police officer also trying to get to the bottom of things made enormous deductive leaps, and at one point it seemed as if every inhabitant of Julia's small town was implicated in some way.

The writing was as enjoyable as the first novel, but I found the conclusion to this one morally disgusting and I can't decide where the author wanted the reader to stand on the issues. ( )

"La perspective américaine supposait la volonté de se positionner à l'avant-garde du monde tout en maintenant le statut quo; la quête d'un progrès technologique qui n'entraînerait pas le moindre changement de société; la domination du monde sans en subir les conséquences. Si l'Amérique ne parvenait pas à modifier sa vision des choses, poursuivait-il, la nation finirait dans une impasse morale" (pge 436 Ed Pocket)

"Je suis officier des forces armées d'une démocratie. Mon job est d'aller là où on m'envoie. Le jour où je déciderai qu'il m'appartient de me demander si je suis d'accord avec la justification théorique de la guerre, nous ne serons plus une démocratie. Vous savez pourquoi ? Parce que cela signifiera que l'armée aura pris le contrôle." (pge 511 Ed Pocket) ( )

Decent political thriller. Lots of twists and turns and unlikely events mixed in with real events spanning 1952-1976. Never really cared about any of the characters. I had the feeling that the book was written to be made into a movie rather than to be a good novel. Weak ending. ( )

Edward "Eddie" Wesley Jr. is an award winning author and journalist who is trying to uncover the inner workings of a secret society, locate his missing sister, and win the heart of the woman he loves. Eddie arrives in Harlem in May 1954. His roots are in Boston. He is the son of a minister who is involved in the civil rights movement of the day. Edward Wesley Sr. possesses the dreaded "voice" that Eddie and his sister Junie hates to hear. Junie and Eddie's girlfriend, Aurelia, both have an equal piece of his heart. The sudden disappearance of Junie sends Eddie's life into turmoil. Prior to Eddie arriving in Harlem or Junie's disappearance there was a meeting held on Martha's Vineyard that would affect all their lives forever.

Essentially there is a secret society whose ultimate goal is to set certain people in place and make events happen to change the country. They want control. This is an integrated group of twenty men. They are some of the richest and most influencial men in the country. Suddenly, they are turning up dead one by one. Due to Eddie's commitment issues, Aurelia married one of these men, Kevin Garland. The Garlands are known as one of the richest families in the country. Eddie and Aurelia both had ties to the Council that they never asked for. These ties haunted them and threaten their very lives.

Stephen Carter spared no celebrity in Palace Council. Eddie often takes counsel from Langston Hughes. They have a lasting friendship. Eddie’s father is a friend of the Kennedy’s. Eddie later works as speech writer for the JFK presidential campaign and continues as JFK enters the White House. Richard Nixon is weaved into the narrative right until the very end. How can one have the Kennedy’s and Nixon without the infamous J. Edgar Hoover. Carter makes them so casual that they don't overpower the storyline. The Vietnam war is also a backdrop.

This was one of the most concise, detail laden novels I have read in a while. You get the feel that Carter spares no detail because he wants the story to be as realistic as possible. Honestly, I can really see these events taking place if they haven't already. The story developed over the years. Carter was genius in the way that he allowed everyone's life to happen yet never losing the central theme of the narrative. This is a long novel but it had to be for all the details it incorporated. There was no shock value. The details just accumalated until the end. Upon arriving at the "jewel" of the story, I was not excited just simply tired. Palace Council was a suspenseful novel but not intense. ( )

To be honest, I had a little trouble getting into this book by Carter. Had to work a little to keep my interest. But, then the story got going for me and it became an excellent read. It wound up being a great story and I enjoyed it. The characters grow and you learn more about them as the story unfolds. The story line at times seems to falter, but it keeps on going and you pick it up and fo with it. Enjoyed it.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'" ( )