The Newsmakers

The Newsmakers
Lis Wiehl with Sebastian Stuart
Thomas Nelson
Harper Collins Christian Publishing
Nashville, Tennessee
ISBN: 9780718037673
Hardcover
January 2016
$ 26.99
352 pages

Are news stories ever planned?   Can a race to have the "exclusive" story of a disaster be planned to promote a particular broadcasting station or the career of a reporter? When a news crew happens to be at the right place at the right time, can it really be coincidental?  Even if this would happen once, could it logically happen twice?  Would anyone be suspicious?  
How many of us are just pawns in a master scheme?
Erica Sparks is receiving a gift.  After driving drunk with her daughter in the car, her life spiraled down.  Now she has the chance of a lifetime to redeem her career, her relationship with her daughter, and her one chance for happiness. 
As a news reporter, Erica has just been selected by Global News Network in New York as their newest star.  The network knows that it needs a new face and a new approach to gain their top place in the ratings.  Living in New York has one downside.  She must leave her eight-year-old daughter, Jenny in the custody of her ex-husband.
Life is exciting in New York.  With this boost to her career and a possibility of a new love life with her boss, this new beginning is just what she needs.  Of course, the money, fame and success are unquestionably perks that she is learning to enjoy.
Erica's first assignment is certain to be successful, an interview with Kate Middleton.  That interview never happens when Erica witnesses a ferry accident with her camera crew. She has the scoop by being the first to report the story.  Her journalistic value though make her want closure, discovering the cause of the accident.  However, the station wants her to focus on other stories.  Why?  Don't they see the value in closure?  Wouldn't her investigation improve ratings more than another story?
The Newsmakers is a collaborative novel by two well-known authors Liz Wiehl and Sebastian Stuart. Sebastian Stuart is also an author who has written numerous novels, plays and screenplays.   Liz Wiehl is a Harvard Law School graduate who worked as a former federal prosecutor.  She is a legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel while also hosting her own weekly radio shows. 
The Newsmakers is a riveting story in the world of journalism at a news station showing their day-to-day lives with realistic characters who view their co-workers as competition. The conflict of loyalty to the station and staff as opposed to self-preservation and self-promotion is frighteningly authentic.  The pace is racing in this page-turner with flawed characters who are believable.  The reader is with Erica every step of the way as she discovers her dream career and the actual costs to her personal self.