Truth, Lies, and the Questions In Between

Elliott (Walls) spotlights the tumultuous political and social conflicts in Washington, D.C., during Nixon’s presidency. In 1973, Illinois native Patty Appleton starts her job as a Congressional page. She spends her days on the Senate sidelines, and nights and weekends with her godmother, Aunt Marjorie, and Marjorie’s counterculture daughter, Simone. Patty’s conservative childhood ill prepares her for how to deal with lewd comments made by male pages and frank conversations with Simone on sex and women’s rights: “I’m not some big libber,” Patty says when questioned about being “a symbol for the women’s movement” as a female page. When the Watergate hearings begin, Patty questions her “good girl” upbringing by her Republican father and the expectations boyfriend Scott has for her as a future political wife. This expansive historical novel immerses readers in life on the Hill. While necessary background details can become overwhelming and scenes turn didactic at times, the well-paced narrative thoughtfully showcases Patty’s personal conflict in choosing which role models to follow. A generous prologue and epilogue provide a timeline of events, a who’s who of important 1970s female figures, and a bibliography. Most characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Jan.)