Candidate capers

A captivating novel unmasks the unsavoury and intrigue-filled side ofpresidential politics

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American Presidential campaigns have been the sub ject of several novels, movies and TV shows over tbe yea rs. There is something allur ing about the power and glory that the office commands - in that, it is like no od1er. Vinay Kolhackar has weighed in to tbe genre with his debut novel, The Fra11kemtei11 Crmdidate, (sel f published in the US), which is a kind of fictional Presidential campaign trail sec in 2020.

Olivia A llen is a briUiant se nator - and a basically decent human being - who has been i nvited to join as a Vice Presidential candidate b y a Co ngressman running for President. She is o ne of the major candidates al ong with the incmnbenc Vice President, and the billionaire Frank Kenned1 Stein a.k a. " The Frankenstein Candidate", who is running as a self- fonded independent. The reader realises quite e arly on d1at things are no t as hunky dory as they seem: Allen suffers from the 'I mposter Syndrome', a psychological feeli ng char her success has been more on account of good fortune than any inherent skiU or hard work; and her husband fancies another woman. Not very far into the campaign, Olivia realizes that dungs are not what she d1o ug hc they would be On discovering some horri fying truths about some of ber feUow travellers, sbe makes some earth- s haking decisions chat affect eve ry major p layer in the race.

By the end of the book, we are privy ro an assassination, enough scandals, as a result of which a candidate struggles to clear his name in c ourt, whiJe a nother is forced to withdraw from the race.

For someone who lives in NSW, Australia, KoU1atkar capmres die ambience and aura of a US presidential campaig n rather weU: the candidates and the politics that drive them; die m inders and the media; d1eir primaries, the numero u s states, their cities, the intra- American differences; even particular footbaU teams - are described with attention to detail aod sound quite authentic. He teases out the lives of the main protagonists in ways that are quite engaging; so is his lughly well-i nformed and fine - tuned description of t h e financial world and its shenanigans. The reader is driven ro read on to find om how they ail unravel. Kolhackar has a Master's degree in finance in addition co experience in the inner workings of \"X/aUStreet, and he is able to draw on chat experience and his 'in siders knowledge' to his advantage Kolhatkar has said el sew here tha t he was quite uninterested in politics - indeed was quite dis illusioned at the way campaigns are run - that he decided to do something about ic: write a n ove l tha t W(mld throw light on ch e whole process and show how it was bli ghted and tainted 6)7 mon ey and machine politics - something chat would be an eye opener. The reader must judge for thems elves if he succeeds i n doing that! In tbe meanwhile, the y will not be disappointed by this novel and che rollercoaster ride that is the A merican Presidential campaign trail.

The Fra11k.msteit1 Cm,didate: The Book thrit Co11/d Alter !be Course ef the Next P,-esidential Elet1io11 is available for sale onJine at Amazon.com and other channels

''Kolhatkar has a Master's degree in fina nce in addition to experience in the inner working s of Wall Street, and he is able to draw on that experience and his 'insiders knowledge' to his advantage