Joseph Finder
is the king of the conspirator
authors. In The Switch, he explores the issues of national
security and privacy, where they overlap, and how they affect
each other. This plot comes straight out of the headlines,
but unlike real life, it comes to conclusions and solutions.
One bad decision has a consequence on future events, as in
a domino effect.
Finder noted, "While I was writing this
book, all this information was being discussed about Hillary
Clinton. I made my senator reminiscent of her and decided
to have a stash of top-secret documents downloaded on the
computer, a mishandling of classified information. It always
seems that the cover-up is worse than the crime. But beyond
that I wanted the story to be about a regular businessman.
I am fascinated by entrepreneurship because as a writer I
consider myself one. Authors' income is generated exclusively
from their writing. In a sense, every writer is running a
small business."
The story begins with Michael Tanner picking
up a wrong laptop at the airport. Unfortunately for both parties
involved neither notices it till they get home. Having curiosity
get the better of him, Tanner, opens the computer and finagles
with the password until he finds the correct one. It is then
that he realizes the computer belongs to Senator Susan Robbins,
which has classified information on it. If this sounds familiar
it should, reminding readers of what Hillary Clinton did while
Secretary of State.
Knowing she broke the law and not wanting
it to ruin her future political career she enlists her Chief
of Staff, Will Abbott, to recover the computer. But unfortunately,
Tanner decides he will not give it up and believes the American
public has a right to know what is in the classified files.
This is when the action ratchets up with the NSA, the unscrupulous
thugs hired by Will, and the FBI all going after Tanner. The
only ones he is able to solicit help from are a few friends
and his wife who has separated from him.
Readers will waffle in their feelings for Will and Michael,
sometimes feeling sorry, while other times feeling they are
not someone to befriend. Both have only themselves to blame,
because of their own actions. How many people would search
through someone else's computer as Michael had done? Yet,
when he becomes the object of an intensive manhunt he becomes
a sympathetic character. He is viewed as an ordinary person
who became involved in extraordinary events, all because he
made an unknowing mistake of picking up the wrong laptop.
He starts out as a mild-mannered businessman, but as the story
progresses becomes more aggressive in his actions both in
business and with those chasing after him. Will also begins
the book as a likable character with his backstory as a devoted
father and husband. But he too becomes more aggressive as
his loyalty to his boss turns him ruthless.
A quote in the book hammers the point home
about privacy, "No such thing anymore. Fitbit knows how
much you exercise and how long you sleep, and Netflix knows
when you stopped watching" Finder commented, "There
are so many examples I could have drawn from. How many times
have you bought something on Amazon and then you see ads for
that item? I wanted to show how there is very little privacy
today. If only government officials would be honest, Americans
might accept policy more. They should just come clean then
we might understand their motivations As a reader, I just
don't want cotton candy and fluff. I want to be entertained,
but also be made to think along the way, which is what I hope
my books are about."
This plot is extremely suspenseful with many
twists and turns. Finder engages readers with issues that
are relevant today. This book feeds right into people’s
views of government where it appears public servants are more
concerned about themselves than the country.
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