The President's Daughter - Softcover

The President's Daughter is to thrillers what Hong Kong is to movies: hyperphysical and flashy, filled with international menace, and perfectly choreographed so there's no wasted action whatsoever. And like those movies, the book's a wonderful ride, particularly if you don't ask too many questions after you climb aboard. The characters are strictly Central Casting: a gallant war-hero president twitted by terrorists, a craggy old pro called out of retirement, an I.R.A. scoundrel with a heart of ... well, brass at least. The daughter of the title is a comely French countess (of course), who's kidnapped by a nefarious group of Israeli extremists. In return for her safety, they want Dad to nuke several Arab countries. Will he be forced to push the button, or will a trio of agents be able to reach her in time? Typical of the genre, the book's pull is the intelligence of the villains multiplied by the ingenuity of the heroes. The President's Daughter scores highly on both and readers itching for a globe-trotting game of cat-and-rat won't be disappointed.

Jack Higgins lives on Jersey in the Channel Islands.