The Siberian Candidate continues the chronicles of Henry Mercucio, the protagonist of both novels, who has proven in the past that he is not above putting his career, personal life, and reputation on the line in the pursuit of power.
Completing his second novel was a labor of love for Houle, who could not wait to continue exploring the complex character of Henry Mercucio, stating: “The successful release of The King-Makers of Providence in March motivated me to continue to do what I love – writing and creating engaging stories. The character of Henry is flawed yet endearing, and I’m excited for readers to see how this character applies life experience to navigate the most challenging time of his life.”
The Siberian Candidate picks up where Henry’s story left off. Now at the helm of his father-in-law’s business empire, Henry is playing by a new set of rules—his own. With his candidate installed as mayor of Providence, he manages to gain an appointment on a major defense contractor’s board, but his foray into corporate takeovers is short-lived as he discovers this world is just as shady as the Machiavellian political sphere he has escaped.
While Henry remains at the forefront of the story, Houle also continues to cultivate some much-loved characters from the first novel, all while introducing intriguing characters new to the series.
To set itself apart from the local political plot twists present in King-Makers, The Siberian Candidate ventures beyond Providence to expose a Russian infiltration campaign at the state level. Houle takes Henry’s story international to St. Petersburg, Russia, and culminates with a gripping plot twist that puts Rhode Island, and all its citizens, in grave danger.
As with Houle’s first novel, The Siberian Candidate is published by BookPress Publishing and is set to be available for purchase on December 5th wherever books are sold.
An official book launch and celebration will take place on Wednesday, November 29th, from 4-8pm, at Alpine Country Club in Cranston, RI. The public is invited to attend but should register in advance.
After his own role in the 2002 special election Providence mayoral campaign, Houle went on to run several successful private and political campaigns through his firm, JH Communications, which recently rebranded as Main St. Media to reflect his commitment to helping small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Houle has also been active in the Chamber of Commerce and was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce in 2022. He was also appointed by Governor Gina Raimondo to serve as member of the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island.
A graduate of Boston College, John lives in Cranston with his wife Susan, and their two children, Jenna and Christopher.
For more information, visit https://johnhoule.net/
For more about Main St. Media: https://mainst.agency/