The First Gentleman (novel): Difference between revisions

Novel by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

‘The First Gentleman’ is a 2025 political thriller written by James Patterson and Bill Clinton. It was published jointly by Little, Brown and Company and Alfred A. Knopf. and was released on June 2, 2025.^[2][1] It is the third thriller novel to written jointly by Patterson and Clinton.^[3]

Former NFL star-turned-political spouse Cole Wright, the First Gentleman of the United States, is put on trial for a 17-year-old murder of a cheerleader just as his wife, President Madeline Wright, is facing reelection. The accusation threatens to derails Wright’s political career and diminish her efforts to pass a vital economic package known as the “Grand Bargain.” A pair of investigative journalists then race to uncover the truth about the case. The novel weaves together political intrigue, legal drama, and threats of assassination attempts as it explores the immense pressure on the First Couple.

Kirkus Reviews described The First Gentleman as “Carefully constructed, entertaining escapism with a political edge, and just the thing for beach or airplane reading.”^[1] USA Today stated “The First Gentleman has all the twists and turns, and the authenticity, one expects from the #1 bestselling authors of The President Is Missing and The President’s Daughter.”^[4] Lizz Schumer of People stated that “the new book promises all the “twists, turns and authenticity” from the co-authors’ first two bestselling thrillers as a pair of investigative journalists set out to learn whether the NFL star-turned-political spouse is innocent or guilty.”^[5]