The President Is Missing

By Bill Clinton and James Patterson Century, 528pp, £20

A collaboration between commercial thriller writer James Patterson and former leader of the free world, Bill Clinton, the casting alone is enough to make you want to read The President

Is Missing ,evenif you’re not usually into stories fraught with potential terrorist cyber-attacks that could trigger nationwide panic and shut down America. President Jon Duncan, an Iraq war veteran and recent widower who is also battling a blood disorder and possible impeachment is in the throes of trying to outwit the leader of the so-called Sons of Jihad. Although there’s rather a lot of American political jargon to get your head around, Clinton’s stamp of approval helps tether your disbelief when the plot starts to become far-fetched, while Patterson’s writing can be biting and timely. Intriguing, if not engrossing, you’ll whip through it on the beach.