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    First Daughter: A McClure/Carson Novel
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    First Daughter: A McClure/Carson Novel
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    First Daughter: A McClure/Carson Novel
    Ebook582 pages8 hours

    First Daughter: A McClure/Carson Novel

    By Eric Van Lustbader

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Sometimes the weakness we fear most can become our greatest strength . . .

    Jack McClure has had a troubled life. His dyslexia always made him feel like an outsider. He escaped from an abusive home as a teenager and lived by his wits on the streets of Washington D.C. It wasn't until he realized that dyslexia gave him the ability to see the world in unique ways that he found success, using this newfound strength to become a top ATF agent.

    When a terrible accident takes the life of his only daughter, Emma, and his marriage falls apart, Jack blames himself, numbing the pain by submerging himself in work. Then he receives a call from his old friend Edward Carson. Carson is just weeks from taking the reins as President of the United States when his daughter, Alli, is kidnapped. Because Emma McClure was once Alli's best friend, Carson turns to Jack, the one man he can trust to go to any lengths to find his daughter and bring her home safely.

    The search for Alli leads Jack on a road toward reconciliation . . . and into the path of a dangerous and calculating man. Someone whose actions are as cold as they are brilliant. Whose power and reach are seemingly infinite.

    Faith, redemption, and political intrigue play off one another as McClure uses his unique abilities to journey into the twisted mind of a stone cold genius who is constantly one step ahead of him. Jack will soon discover that this man has affected his life and his country in more ways than he could ever imagine.



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    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateApr 1, 2010
    ISBN9781429930185
    Author

    Eric Van Lustbader

    Eric Van Lustbader is the author of twenty-five international bestsellers, as well as twelve Jason Bourne novels, including The Bourne Enigma and The Bourne Initiative. His books have been translated into over twenty languages. He lives with his wife in New York City and Long Island.

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    Reviews for First Daughter

    3.5/5

    107 ratings19 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Eric Van Lustbader is probably best known for his Ninja series as well as for taking over the Jason Bourne books after Robert Ludlum passed away. I was contacted to review his latest work, First Daughter, and though I had never read any of his material before, gladly accepted.I was somewhat wary of the book since it's a genre I've not read much of (mystery thriller) and because it deals with modern American politics, which is not a huge interest of mine. However, it also deals heavily with religion, which is. In fact, I think that Lustbader's treatment and handling of religion and it's relation to politics, though at times awkward, is one of the many highlight of this novel.It's election year, and the stakes are high. But, they become even higher when the president-elect's daughter, Alli, is kidnapped in the middle of the night from her private, well-secured, all girl's college. In addition to a multitude of federal secret service men and women, Jack McClure--a top agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)--is brought in to assist with the investigation. He recently lost his own daughter Emma to a tragic car accident. The two girls were roommates, and Jack is a personal friend of the family--bringing his own unique perspective to the case. He will do anything to ensure that Alli is returned home, safe and sound.The story was executed extraordinarily well--clues were dropped that I picked up on (and therefore anticipated certain turns of events) but there were still some surprises left that were properly set up (i.e. they didn't come from the middle of nowhere and actually made a good amount of sense). The only part of the plot I wasn't totally sold on was the reasoning behind some of the main antagonist's actions. In addition to the kidnapping storyline, reader's are treated to flashbacks to when Jack was growing up--a background that becomes increasingly more relevant to the current situation.Jack McClure, who happens to be dyslexic, is an absolutely fantastic character. Fortunately, Lustbader has plans to write more books that feature Jack as well as several other characters from First DaughterI'm not sure how the book compares to others in the genre, since I'm not well versed in mystery thrillers, but it made for a great, quickly paced, end of summer read. And I'll definitely be on the lookout for more Jack McClure.Experiments in Reading
    • 2/5
      This novel can be aptly described as a train wreck. There are so many things wrong with it that’s it’s hard to know where to begin. For one thing, there are many poorly drawn characters, most notably the President, Hugh Garner, the Secretary of State, the First Daughter, and the story’s villain. Yes, that’s quite a list. They share traits such as not resembling actual human beings, not having believable motivations, and being inconsistent in their actions. Needless to say, characterization was not a strong suit here.Neither was pace. The novel had overly long flashbacks that took away from the flow of the novel. The whole part about the President trying to wipe out the American secularist movement was just weak. But of all the things that were poorly done, the novel’s biggest shortcoming was the lack of believability. Almost everything that happened made me shake my head. There was just nothing plausible, and some of the events were down right laughable. I can’t say there was much that I liked here. I would strongly suggest avoiding this novel.Carl Alves – author of The Invocation
    • 3/5
      Some unexpected turns but the reveal of whodunit was most surprising.
    • 4/5
      "First Daughter" is the first in the Jack McClure series. With a handicap like Dyslexia, does it help or hinder a government agent? This book takes us from the childhood of Jack McClure to late adult, focusing on love, family, work and his handicap. He is overly concerned with his handicap which helps him rather than hinder him. If you are looking for a story that goes from beginning to end, this is not the one. There are continuous flashbacks, not just for one character, but all of them. At times it's hard keeping track of where you are. Jack has a dislike for all organized religion and a profound dislike for the Catholic church and priests. This may be a bit strong, but the book seems to be inclined towards atheism.Putting aside my criticisms, I still like the basic story and am giving it four stars.
    • 3/5
      I read this author years ago (his Nicholas Linnear series back in the 1980s I think). I found this book different than I remember his writing. This book reminded me a bit more of David Baldacci's thrillers. I'm not quite sure what agency McClure works for. He seems to bounce around between agencies a bit at the request of the President Elect. I was kept guessing for most of the book but I did put the pieces together slightly before Jack did while he was in the library--though there was a twist but I did guess who the second person was slightly before Jack did as well. I also guessed that the diary/journal might be on the iPod.
    • 3/5
      Barely 3. I liked the story, but it was terribly hard to follow at times.
    • 5/5
      FIRST DAUGHTER by Eric Van Lustader is an intriquing political thriller set in Washington,D.C..It is well written with a plot that will catch you from the first sentence to the last sentence. The characters are intriquing,and will hold your attention.It has intrique,mystery,murder,political intrique,action,suspense,ATF agent,politics,murder,and mayhem. When ATF agent Jack McClure is called into action to help find the president,Emma,he will find a conspiracy that not could effect of power at be but could also destroy everything he holds dear. This is a heart provoking story that combines a personal story with the chilling actions of Washington. It is a fast paced,action packed roller coaster of a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A must read for any and all political,suspense,action,and thriller readers. This book was received for the purpose of review from Zeitghost Media.Details can be found at A Forge Book and My Book Addiction Reviews.
    • 4/5
      Although this is a fairly good novel, it seemed to flounder at times. I really appreciated the author's description of the main character's dyslexia (my son is dyslexic); he did a good job of demonstrating what goes on in the mind of someone like that. But it often felt like the author was preaching at us about religion and politics ... and the thinly veiled jabs at Bush (a president by another name in the book) were annoying - mainly due to over-simplification of the issues at hand during his term. Another problem is that the reader doesn't fully get to know the 'bad guy' well enough to understand what made him tick. The glimpses we get of him are often indirectly, via flashbacks through the main character's memories - never really directly. And the few times that we're in contact with the bad guy directly isn't enough to get a good feel for the inner workings of his mind ... except that he just seems to fit the tired 'maniac bad guy' mold. And about those flashbacks - I don't like how they were used in this book ... they often seemed to just be thrown in clumsily. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was overly-dramatic and it didn't work well; this could have had something to do with my inability to give the book 4 stars. I understand First Daughter is book #1 in a series; hopefully the author ironed out the kinks in his writing the second time around.
    • 2/5
      When President-Elect Edward Carson’s nineteen-year-old daughter Alli is kidnapped, he calls on his old friend ATF Agent Jack McClure to get Alli back. Jack’s own daughter Emma, who died just six months previously in a car accident, was Alli’s roommate at college. The current President, an evil incarnation of George W. Bush, is still in charge however, and uses the kidnapping as an excuse to crack down on an atheist group he manages to blame for the abduction.As the hunt proceeds to find Alli, we learn more about the outgoing President and his administration, who Jack is, and who the kidnapper is. We hear arguments for and against the freedom to have atheistic thoughts, and we learn about plots all around to make sure the religious orientation imposed by the previous administration will not be vitiated by the incoming administration. And we race, along with Jack, to find Alli before either the kidnapper kills her, or the mysterious people chasing Jack kill him.Discussion: I felt like this book was written by a committee, or by someone with multiple personalities. At times it was clever and witty. At times, when the author was channeling George Pelecanos (particularly with the story of Jack's friend and mentor Gus), it got quite readable and even heart-warming. It was certainly suspenseful. But quite often, it was simply over the top: e.g., cold-hearted killer keeps viper in the kitchen cupboard and gets off on feeding it live rats (doesn’t say “bwahaha” but is probably thinking it); the Homeland Security First Deputy does his own torturing – of people he knows are innocent, no less; dead daughter Emma appears now and then to Jack and once even saves her dad’s life; dad can see dead people, by the way, because he’s dyslexic (ha ha! And you thought dyslexia was just about reading!). The author included some astute social commentary on the "new conservative" movement (i.e., as defined by historian Eric Foner, those who combine the desire to have government expelled from the economy with a desire to have it regulate personal behavior, in order to restore a Christian morality they see as growing weaker and weaker in American society.) But then he vitiates his own case by taking it (once again) over the top, and turning all of these conservatives into idiotic zealots or immoral psychos.Moreover, the wives in this book are a bit bizarre. Jack’s wife, at Emma’s funeral, "howls" to the priest, “There is no God!” Not very probable, but then the next thing you know she is practically born again. Until something else happens… (There is a God! There isn’t! There is! There isn’t!) She’s sort of a hysterical and unpleasant woman anyway, but Jack likes her legs. I guess if you’re good-looking, that’s all that counts. Speaking of which, another wife in the story stays home and bakes apple pies and talks dizzily about how much she and her husband love each other while he’s out having sex with someone else. But here’s the one that floored me the most: Lustbader has the incoming president’s wife Lyn Carson lament (in her now zombified condition since her daughter was taken), “Without Alli, my life is without purpose!” Wow. And is this realistic behavior of a wife of the president elect, a wife who has spent years as a competent player in the political spotlight? It doesn’t seem so. Thanks for these views of women, Mr. Lustbader. I caught at least two passages actually repeated in the book. One wonders why the editor didn’t catch them. And at the end, just as the bad guy is about to disclose what his motivations are, which happens to be central to the plot, well, there's this and that distraction, and the next thing you know, the book is over! Did everybody forget ? (while standing “under the buttermilk sky of an early dusk") (I don’t know about you, but if I saw a sky looking like buttermilk, I’d run for shelter.) Or is this omission deliberate so you’ll have to pick up the next Jack McClure adventure?
    • 3/5
      This could have been much better--interesting premise but too many convenient (lazy?) plot devices for me. Jack McClure, an ATF agent, is chosen to help in the search for a to-be-inaugerated president's daughter because his daughter went to school with her. The story bounces back and forth between present and his past. I expected more from the guy chosen by Ludlum's estate to continue the Bourne series.
    • 5/5
      What a change of pace from the series of books that I had been reading -- and I loved every page, every line of it. Lustbader writes with such brilliance and suspence that it captivates you from the very beginning until the very end. The twist of McClure having dyslexia is impressive as Lustbader allows it to become McClure's unique weapon and not just as a lame attempt to defend those with his mental disorder. His writing is well-written, the research that went into it well-gathered and he explains all the government terms and procedures so well that you can undersand it even if you're politically-disabled. The story was woven with characters and plots that were all interconnected beautifully and it kept you guessing. The conspiricies and betrayals in the novel protrayed the dark side of the government. This portrayal of the things people do with their power and selfishness is so realistic that it might even sadden you that it seems hard to really trust anyone in the book. This novel was compelling, suspenseful and can't-stop-turning-the-page-cant-yet-sleep-until-its-done-going-to-have-dreams-about-it good! Definitely a MUST READ for everyone, for those who love suspense, and even for those who don't.
    • 4/5
      When President-Elect Edward Carson's 19 year old daughter, Alli, is kidnapped just one month before his inauguration ceremony, he implores his friend, ATF agent Jack McClure, to help find her. Jack must deal with a multitude of obstacles during the desperate search for Alli and her kidnapper, including his own dyslexia, a current president who doesn't appear to want Jack to succeed, and the anguish he feels over the recent death of his own daughter.First Daughter captures its reader from the first few paragraphs. The story starts off with a bang, and continues with a fast pace and a tightly woven plot. As Jack searches for Alli, we catch glimpses of his past. It not only adds depth to his character, but also adds another element of surprise and anticipation. There are many political and religious questions addressed throughout the book. It would have been easy to turn this otherwise solid book into a monologue of what the author believes, but it doesn't read that way at all. Instead, it allows the reader to ask themselves how they feel about the concept of the separation of church and state in the United States. It's certainly a timely topic considering the state of the government today.What Lustbader does best, in my opinion, is develop the character of Jack McClure. If, as I would imagine, this turns into a series, it'll be all the better because we've already been introduced to Jack and have shared his secrets and fears. Imagine a dyslexic Jack Bauer with a little bit of Alex Cross and a dash of Jack Ryan, and you'll get a sense of Jack McClure. He's made all the more human through his flaws, and it's what, I think, people will love about him.
    • 4/5
      First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader was not the kind of book that I normally read. I do like suspense and mystery at times though so I thought I'd try something different. The book is about a loner investigator, Jack, who had a hard life growing up and has the scars to prove it. He is called to help in the investigation of the president-elect's daughter's disappearance. This book has a lot of plot twists and many characters, which made it a little confusing to follow. It was a pretty good story, although I think it fizzled out at the end. Overall, it was a pretty good book and held my attention despite the many twists. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes suspenseful crime novels. 3.5 stars.
    • 3/5
      The transition of the US President is always a volatile time. No one knows this better than President-Elect Edward Carson. It is one month before his swearing in ceremony and his nineteen year old daughter, Alli, has disappeared. She may have been kidnapped by a homegrown terrorist organization. Finding her is his top priority, and it must be done without anyone in the media getting wind of it.Carson hand-picks ATF agent Jack McClure to investigate his daughter's disappearance. He has several good reasons for doing so. Jack's daughter, Emma, who died seven months before in a car accident, was Allie's college roommate and close friend. He knows that Jack will do anything necessary to bring Allie home.Jack has another unique quality. He is dyslexic and while that poses great problems for him when it comes to reading, the way his brain is wired makes him an outstanding agent. He is able to see things in a more complete way than the average person. He can pick up nuances that others might miss, including smells and small details. It has made him very successful in his career and he is a top ATF agent.It hasn't helped him in his personal life, though. He has not been able to accept the death of his daughter and his marriage has since broken up as well. He is a lost and lonely man. As he begins to investigate Alli's disappearance, striking events from Jack's past begin to crop up. Somehow the case in inextricably linked with Jack's life and as he tries to fit together all the pieces he is pressured from all sides. It's up to him to find Allie and discover the motive behind her kidnapping and he is running out of time.This thriller has a twisting, intriguing plot and is a fast paced and exciting read. Pick up First Daughter, you won't be able to put it down!
    • 5/5
      Eric Van Lustbader’s new novel, First Daughter is a philosophical book disguised as a suspense thriller. Jack McClure is an ATF agent, trying to cope with the death of his only child, and the breakup of his marriage. He is dyslexic and his whole life has struggled with the humiliation of keeping this a secret. His dyslexia has allowed his brain to perceive of unique patterns and has given him an ability to see the world in different ways, leading him to become one of the ATF’s top agents. Jack receives a call from an old friend, Edward Carson, asking his help in finding his kidnapped daughter, Allie. The case is complicated by the fact that Carson is the President-elect and due to be inaugurated in just a few weeks time. Even though the novel is ostensibly about the search and recovery of Allie, it deftly incorporates themes of faith and redemption, as well as highlighting the secular constitutional issues of today’s politics.This is the first time I’ve read a novel by this author, and I’ve been really missing out on something good. The book is fast paced, with a fascinating portrayal of a man who’s lost everything except his career. His whole life, Jack has worked hard and made his career his top priority, and then in an instant, he learned just how skewed his priorities had become. This theme of the book rang true; too often we have to lose what’s the most important to us to notice how valuable it was. I was fascinated by the author’s depiction of Allie’s captivity. The psychological manipulation the kidnapper used on his victim was yet another realistic and well-written aspect of the novel. Van Lustbader doesn’t shy from asking the “big” questions either. Faith is a large part of this novel. Cogent arguments are made for both the necessity of religious faith and the more pragmatic approach of a moral secularism. Morality itself is often addressed; where one man finds a compelling sense of moral obligation, another will see despicable manipulation. Often the author manages to warn us of political and religious agendas that are in direct opposition to a truly Constitutional form of government, all the while staying well within the boundaries of good story telling. Pick up a copy, it’s a worthwhile read!
    • 4/5
      First DaughterBy Eric Van LustbaderForge BooksThis book is timed just perfectly for a presidential election year. The time setting is of an outgoing administration that has held office for the last eight years and the soon to be new administration. The president on his way out does not really want to relinquish power while the president elect definitely has some different plans in mind. Shortly before the new president takes office his soon to be “first daughter” is abducted. Who did it and why? That is what the main character Jack McClure must find out. He himself is recovering from the accidental death of his own daughter who was the best friend of Alli, the first-daughter. The president –elect feels there is no one better for the job, against the wishes of the secret service. One unique quality that Jack has is dyslexia. While it is and has been a hindrance to him throughout most of his life, it also gives him the ability to see a situation three dimensionally often finding the answers long before anyone else.The book opens with a bang and you are instantly caught up in finding out what is going to happen. I at times felt slightly disappointed in the writing because it seemed to me that a character was acting odd and I did not see why this author would write about them is such an odd way. Hah! I eventually found out why some of the characters seemed odd to me. It all made sense in the end. I had no idea some of the things that were coming and enjoyed every minute of it. Not only was this a book about an abduction it also was about spirituality and religion. Throughout the book the characters were dealing with the idea of the impact of religion on their lives. How they justify their behavior with their beliefs and how much the government should allow religion to determine the direction of legislation. This was thought provoking and gave the book much more depth than your average everyday mystery/thriller.Much in the book will seem to mirror the present political climate in the U.S. Only you can decide how much is fact and how much is fiction. The rest we will never know. I enjoyed this book.
    • 4/5
      Eric Van Lustbader begins his political thriller First Daughter at the presidential inauguration of Edward Carson, where something shocking and unthinkable is about to take place. He essentially takes the reader to the edge of a precipice, teeters on that edge and then steps away and goes back to where it all began. Slowly, he works back to the present, to that event that is lurking in the back of reader's mind all the while. Of course, that means that this novel is quite a page-turner.Van Lustbader weaves a thrilling story as Jack McClure navigates a dangerous political landscape to track down the soon-to-be first daughter and her elusive abductor. McClure makes a sympathetic, likable hero. There were one or two supporting characters who I would like to have gotten to know better and could have been developed further but overall, I was pleased with Van Lustbader's character development, which in this genre can easily be overpowered by the fast-paced plot.I struggled a little with the dialogue in this book. It could have been fine-tuned to seem more natural and less cumbersome. This, however, didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story, thanks to the perfectly paced plot. There was a coldness, a darkness lurking in the background throughout the book that was palpable. I could feel and sense the dark underbelly of Washington, D.C. The ruthless and deliberate brutality of the murderer made my skin crawl. And then there was the shock value: I didn't see several plot twists coming. I was on the edge of my seat from the first few pages until the very end.The release of this gripping political thriller is perfectly timed to dovetail with current events. There are some underlying but well-supported assumptions about corruption in our political system, separation of church and state, and the viability of such things as faith-based initiatives. It was difficult not to notice thinly veiled parallels between our current administration and the outgoing administration in First Daughter. The political element in this story was very interesting, especially in light of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
    • 3/5
      As one president is about to leave office and inauguration day looms for the next man to take that office, the country is in turmoil. In a novel apparently meant to use the events following 9/11 and the inept leadership in place at that time in history, terrorism is of course, a theme. The story is fraught with allusions to terrorism and the lame duck president seems to see a terrorist behind every bush. When reality proves that they are not there, his insistence simply trumps reality. Thus we are taken on a merry chase for terrorists, real and imagined. What is real is that the daughter of the president elect has been kidnapped. Whether or not she survives is made very clear in the first pages of this book. The rest is the convoluted tale of this kidnapping and its results. The thread, no, rather the wide ribbon of religion that runs throughout this story often strikes a discordant not, cropping up in conversations and situations where rather than enhancing, it distracts. This was a promising story that for me failed to thrill but some mystery did indeed remain. Although the reader may believe that the ending would lead us in a certain direction, instead it was a good solid surprising end. Sadly, I found the finish to be the best of the book.
    • 5/5
      First-rate political thriller. The current administration is ultra-religious and willing to do anything to advance their agenda. Sometime between the November election and the January inauguration, the President-elect's daughter is kidnapped. He's counting on one man to find her, even though that man is being targetted, not just by the kidnapper, but also by members of the administration. Whose side is everyone on?(If not for the ghostly subplot, I'd have probably given it 5 stars.)