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Toxic and Polarized Political Fishbowl
Enemies Domestic follows a woman on her first day as the White House Press Secretary who is confronted by a reporter with an agenda about whether or not she is planning to have an abortion, placing her career and life in danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I got the idea for Enemies Domestic when Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s decision leaked overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing a woman’s right to have an abortion. My protagonist, Lark Chadwick, was pregnant, but ambivalent about becoming a single parent. I wanted to show what it might be like to have an unwanted pregnancy in a post-Roe era.
Lark Chadwick is a woman with strength. What do you think makes her a valuable and worthy heroine?
Like all of us, Lark is an imperfect person. She has shortcomings and weaknesses. Her struggle to overcome her anger issues and impulsiveness is put to the supreme test in Enemies Domestic. What makes Lark a valuable and worthy heroine is her willingness to face and fight her personal demons.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I feel that choice is the ultimate theme in Enemies Domestic. Lark is forced to make the excruciatingly personal choice of abort-or-not-to-abort in a highly toxic and polarized political fishbowl–much like what we, as a country, are currently experiencing. Lark’s decision is complicated and nuanced. And it’s happening at a time when a dictator becomes president. That theme of choice is being played out in real time as this country is about to choose between Democracy and Authoritarianism.
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I’ve begun making preliminary notes on the next book in the Lark Chadwick series, but it’s too soon to get into specifics other than to say the story will pick up where Enemies Domestic left off. I’m also working on a memoir (Working Title: Pivot Points: Plot Twists on the Path to Personal Integrity.) I’m hoping the memoir will be published in 2025, but the next novel might take a while longer.
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Enemies Domestic, Book Six in the Lark Chadwick Mystery series: On her first day as White House Press Secretary, Lark Chadwick is confronted on live television by a reporter with an agenda: “Are you, or are you not, planning to abort your unborn child?” His question puts Lark in the crosshairs of extremists on both sides of the highly fraught abortion issue. Ambivalent about becoming a single mother in the post-Roe era, and grieving the death of her boyfriend, Lark is now forced to make her abort-or-not-to-abort decision in a highly toxic, politicized, and polarized fishbowl. At stake: her sanity—and her life. In the political thriller Enemies Domestic, his most important and controversial book to date, former CNN editor John DeDakis dramatically and thoughtfully tackles the hot topics of abortion, QAnon, White Christian Nationalism, and mental illness at a time when America itself is teetering between democracy and authoritarianism.
Enemies Domestic
Lark Chadwick has reached a pinnacle in her career, a place she once thought impossible. Now, as the White House Press Secretary, she’s preparing to deliver a live TV address that she expects will be memorable. It is, but for reasons she never imagined. A reporter boldly asks her if she plans to abort her unborn child. Stunned, Lark struggles to find the right words. She doesn’t even know the answer herself. Her boyfriend is dead, and the thought of facing single parenthood is daunting. Now, she’s thrust into a public spotlight that threatens not just her career but possibly her very life.
Enemies Domestic, written by former CNN editor John DeDakis, is a gripping, timely thriller. It echoes the intensity of politically-charged TV dramas like The West Wing and the suspenseful storytelling of authors like Lee Child and Tom Clancy. This novel is a page-turner, diving headfirst into the highly charged issue of abortion in a post-Roe United States. For those who underestimate the significance of this topic, it’s likely they’ve never faced the heart-wrenching decision of whether to carry a pregnancy to term or not. Abortion garners extensive media coverage, but it’s hard to grasp the depth of passion on both sides until you’re in the thick of it. DeDakis understands this deeply. Perhaps his background in journalism allows him to craft characters with such authenticity and nuance. Lark Chadwick emerges as a relatable heroine, thrust into an impossible and all too real situation. Her emotional turmoil, coupled with the relentless scrutiny she faces, drives the novel’s tension. DeDakis skillfully navigates through heavy themes like mental illness, the rise of Christian Nationalism, and the world of conspiracy theorists. The result is a potent mix that will leave readers breathless and gripping the edges of their seats.
Too many thrillers fall into predictable patterns, but Enemies Domestic stands apart. DeDakis brings a level of depth and craftsmanship that elevates the material, making this novel an outstanding read in the genre.
Pages: 374 | ASIN : B0D7M7H9GD
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