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BOOK INFO
Title: Final Table
Author: Dan Schorr
Publisher: SparkPress
Publish Date: October 5, 2021
Genre: Political Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
BOOK BLURB
Former White House staffer Maggie Raster is struggling to build her own consulting firm and overcome a recent sexual assault by an ex-boss. Kyler Dawson, a broke former poker champion, desperately needs to gain entry into a controversial but potentially very lucrative international poker tournament. The host nation faces widespread condemnation for the recent murder of a prominent female US journalist, and a pending presidential executive order threatens to prohibit him and others from participating.
Maggie’s chaotic first attempt to promote her new business as a television political analyst brings her to Kyler’s attention, and convinces him that her political smarts and connections can provide the help he needs. When he approaches her for assistance, she must decide whether to agree—in return for a portion of the potential $20 million prize. To succeed, she will have to confront numerous challenges—personal and political, foreign and domestic—including mounting pressure to publicly address the misconduct of her former boss. Kyler also has his own obstacles and upsetting past to overcome, but if they each can outmaneuver their daunting challenges, he might win the tournament—and earn them both a fortune.
MY REVIEW
Poker and politics come together in Final Table to create an intriguing novel.
Final Table is told using the alternating points of view of Maggie and Kyler. Maggie is a former White House staffer trying to start her own consulting business. Kyler is a down on his luck professional poker player. They come together due to a unique situation involving a high stakes poker game hosted in a country under fire for the recent murder of a US journalist. The host country is being called out for the recent murder, plus the unjust treatment of its citizens. Meanwhile, Maggie and Kyler are both fighting battles in their personal lives. It’s not a safe time to travel, but Maggie and Kyler both have a lot to gain if they can work together.
With multiple storylines, a lot happens in this book to keep the reader interested. At times, I felt too much was happening, but still found it to be an entertaining read.
A great debut novel. Good for readers who enjoy poker and political thrillers.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.