Secrets and Truths

Because the primary genre of the novel is 'mystery-thriller,' its primary thematic consideration has to do with the keeping of secrets, the unveiling of truths, and the effects of both. Here, as in other books of this genre, this particular theme manifests primarily in the book’s plot, which is defined by a detective’s desire to find out the secret truths behind a particular crime. In this case, that detective is the fictionalized Joe Biden (assisted by the fictionalized Barack Obama), who is searching for the secret truths behind the killing of his friend Finn Donnelly.

Joe’s search for the truth about Finn manifests and develops this theme on another level. Part of the reason for Joe’s involvement is that the circumstances of Finn’s death suggests there were things going on in his life that did not fit with...