opposites clash for the nation's highest office. It's Ven Hess, firebrand populist breaking all the old rules, known as "The Hessian" for his intimidating tactics on the pitcher's mound, versus Democrat Alec Maynard, an African American Admiral with his own flaws but who offers the nation at least some hope of normalcy.

Pete Vankov, a political operative known as the "Dark Angel" because of his reputation for winning at all costs, spearheads the Hess campaign. Meanwhile, an estranged colleague, David Gruber, together with The Globe's political reporter, Jane Berglund, devises a plan to thwart Vankov's march towards a dirty and dangerous victory.

Who wins?

With Guile, veteran political strategist Craig Snyder has written a thriller exposing the dark underbelly of American politics, a novel rich in suspense and intrigue that will have readers turning its pages quickly in rueful anticipation of the next election.