Wednesday, May 21

No Way to Treat a First Lady - Christopher Buckley

The media never liked First Lady Beth MacMann (dubbed "Lady Beth Mac" in the press). When husband Ken is found dead next in their bed, a bruise on his forehead from the Paul Revere silver spitoon she (allegedly) threw at him in the early hours of that morning, there's no question - she done it. Charged with assasination, Beth - herself a lawyer - turns to the best defence counsel in the land, Boyce Baylor. A former fellow student, and lover, they've barely spoken since she ended it in order to take up with the man who would be President.
The characters are adequately developed and the plot unfurls smoothly in this combination of equal parts mystery and legal thriller. There are a number of twists, though none breathtakingly surprising. Buckley is billed as one of America's funniest modern writers. While I enjoyed reading No Way to Treat a First Lady, and even chuckled a couple of times, I think that's a bit of a stretch. It was enjoyable enough, and I'd probably try another of Buckley's books if I came across it, but I won't go out of my way. - Alex

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