Jim Gannon understood when he became a Secret Service agent and protector of the President of the United States of America and his family that there would be certain sacrifices. He also knew the risks – to himself, his friends and co-workers, his family and his boss - when he took the job. He just never thought he would actually have to face any of those things head-on.

In Donald B. Keelan’s historical fiction/thriller novel, Conspiracy on the Hudson, the reader is taken on a thrilling ride full of mystery, intrigue and espionage. To be honest, all you have to say is ‘historical fiction’ to grab my attention. Conspiracy on the Hudson grabbed my attention further when I learned it was set in World War II. I am a huge World War II fanatic, so I was really excited to read this novel. While the plot was amazingly well thought out and detailed. There were a few issues that continually detracted from the appeal of the story itself.

First, I want to say that Keelan is very gifted when it came to his descriptions of settings and characters. I could easily visualize the various settings in the novel. It was fantastic to feel that involved and drawn in. Because of Keelan’s talent with describing settings and characters, I couldn’t wait to find more time to read and discover what would happen next.

As enthralled as I was with the plot of Conspiracy on the Hudson, for me, there were two issues. The first issue I had was the ‘Cast of Principle Characters’ in the book. I’ve come across similar additions in other novels before and actually found them to be quite useful. Keelan’s ‘Cast of Principle Characters’ is different from the others and honestly, his placement made it downright confusing. He chose to place it before the novel. It is the first thing you read. Before you’ve even begun the novel, you have the entire list of characters in your head. You don’t know how they fit together, or even where they belong in the story line; however, you already know of their existence and their role within the plot. Now obviously you have the choice to skip the list and begin the novel but if it’s there, in the beginning; personally, I’m going to read it. Whereas if it’s there, at the end, as I’ve seen in other novels, and I know I can consult it if I need to, then I’m okay.

My second issue was the dialog. It felt completely inconsistent to me. There were times when the dialog flowed easily and felt as if it fit perfectly within the context of the story. Then there were times when the dialog just felt severely…lacking. Almost as if, it was forced. In those moments, when it felt forced and fake, it seemed to take on an almost juvenile quality. Instead of intelligent adult conversation, it felt like everything had been ‘dumbed down’ and simplified. Like Keelan didn’t know how to say, what he wanted and so it trying to write something it all came out simple and juvenile. During those moments, an otherwise completely addicting novel became almost painful for me to read.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Conspiracy on the Hudson. I found that even though it had its problems, it was a novel that I devoured pretty quick. Even though, in the end, I found myself torn between not wanting the story Keelan had so skillfully laid out for me and excited to finish it because I knew there was a sequel, Secret of Camp David. I remained torn throughout the end of the novel; however, I am still really looking forward to reading Secret of Camp David, so I guess that’s the best review of all. If I’ve finished the first book and I’m dying to read the second, Donald B. Keelan must be doing something right.

I received a free copy of Conspiracy on the Hudson, written by Donald B. Keelan, to read and review. I am in no way committed to writing a positive review; all reviews are my own thoughts and opinions. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )