Oppo

In this diverting if didactic political novel from Rosenstiel (The Good Lie), Democratic presidential candidate David Traynor, a tech billionaire and “bad boy reformer,” wants Wendy Upton, a Republican senator from Arizona, on his ticket as vice president; so does Republican Dick Bakke. But before Wendy can commit to either, she receives an anonymous threat: “If you accept the offer to run as vice president, there are people who know something about you.” Enter investigators Peter Rena and Randi Brooks, partners in a firm that does opposition research (the “oppo” of the title) to dig up dirt before the other side does. Trying to figure out what the threat refers to, as well as its source, forms the bulk of the plot, though Rosenstiel’s real mission seems to be presenting his take on the horrible state of contemporary politics. As the executive director of the American Press Institute, Rosenstiel has a real understanding of American political life, but the book reads more like a lengthy op-ed piece than a novel. Agent: David Black, Black Agency. (Dec.)