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The Boomerang
John Grisham meets Yellowstone in a gripping political thriller by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Robert Bailey, as one man fights for family against a government with a shattering secret.
The president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.
Hell-bent on helping her, Eli turns to Big Pharma’s top lobbyist for advice, but their encounter yields more questions than answers. As he races along a twisted trail to the truth, he stumbles upon a devastating cover-up worth billions of dollars—and millions of lives.
Armed with this deadly secret, Eli goes rogue, fleeing with his family out west. To keep them safe, he forms an uneasy alliance with land baron Nester “the Beast” Sanchez, known for his ruthless power tactics. An epic showdown brews, and it’s the state versus one desperate citizen, willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Can Eli broker a truce with his once allies? Or will there be war in the desert?
The president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.
Hell-bent on helping her, Eli turns to Big Pharma’s top lobbyist for advice, but their encounter yields more questions than answers. As he races along a twisted trail to the truth, he stumbles upon a devastating cover-up worth billions of dollars—and millions of lives.
Armed with this deadly secret, Eli goes rogue, fleeing with his family out west. To keep them safe, he forms an uneasy alliance with land baron Nester “the Beast” Sanchez, known for his ruthless power tactics. An epic showdown brews, and it’s the state versus one desperate citizen, willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Can Eli broker a truce with his once allies? Or will there be war in the desert?
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2025
9737 people are currently reading
8746 people want to read
About the author
Robert Bailey
12 books1,262 followersRobert Bailey is the bestselling and award winning author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor, as well as the Bocephus Haynes’ series, which debuted with Legacy of Lies. He is also the author of the inspirational novel, The Golfer’s Carol.
Robert was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of a builder and a schoolteacher. From the time he could walk, he’s loved stories, especially those about Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Robert obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from Davidson College in North Carolina. Law School at the University of Alabama followed, where Robert made Law Review, competed on the school’s trial team and managed to watch every home football game.
For the past twenty-one years, he’s been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville. He and his wife, Dixie, have three kids.
Robert was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of a builder and a schoolteacher. From the time he could walk, he’s loved stories, especially those about Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Robert obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from Davidson College in North Carolina. Law School at the University of Alabama followed, where Robert made Law Review, competed on the school’s trial team and managed to watch every home football game.
For the past twenty-one years, he’s been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville. He and his wife, Dixie, have three kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,074 reviews
April 26, 2025
To say Robert Bailey’s political thriller,
The Boomerang,
demands a reader’s attention would be an understatement. The new president of the United States, Lionel Jefferson Cantrell, has terminal cancer. One of the few who know this is his Chief of Staff Eli James, his long-time friend. But soon, Eli learns his seventeen-year-old daughter Bella has terminal cancer too.
Eli is determined to find a solution and turns to a pharmaceutical lobbyist for advice. Their discussion leads to more questions than answers and he enlists the help of family. Along the way, he discovers a cover-up worth billions of dollars and millions of lives. With the deadly secret, Eli forms an alliance with Nester Sanchez in New Mexico and works to get his family there as a showdown approaches.
The characterization is excellent in this novel. Eli uses charm and lies to get what he wants. He’s a hard worker and calm in a crisis. He’s also great at raising money and smearing political opponents. He loves his daughter and will do anything to protect her. Lionel is ambitious and puts politics above everything else. Nester is known for this ruthless power tactics. He doesn’t make decisions based on emotion and is cautious in those he trusts. He has a criminal reputation, but is respected in New Mexico. Eli’s wife Dale is a trial attorney who specializes in medical malpractice cases. Each character has flaws and strengths that come through clearly in their actions and words.
If you enjoy action-packed political thrillers with heart, then look no further than this novel. The intensity and sense of urgency kept me rapidly turning the pages with gripping scenes, action, danger, an excellent plot, and fantastic writing. The world-building and atmosphere immediately transported me to the various locations, whether the action was in the White House, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, or New Mexico. The way Eli deals with the bad personal news has a huge impact on the reader, but that is just one of the dramas playing out. With twists, turns, and action, the story unfolds at a rapid pace. The ending is impactful and insightful. Topics include terminal illness, power, money, family, friendship, secrets, death, and much more.
Overall, this is a gritty and suspenseful high-stakes thriller that has an outstanding premise and is also thought-provoking and filled with extraordinary, but flawed characters. It’s also moving and has heart. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won’t be the last. I highly recommend this novel.
Thomas and Mercer and Robert Bailey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 01, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.57 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
Eli is determined to find a solution and turns to a pharmaceutical lobbyist for advice. Their discussion leads to more questions than answers and he enlists the help of family. Along the way, he discovers a cover-up worth billions of dollars and millions of lives. With the deadly secret, Eli forms an alliance with Nester Sanchez in New Mexico and works to get his family there as a showdown approaches.
The characterization is excellent in this novel. Eli uses charm and lies to get what he wants. He’s a hard worker and calm in a crisis. He’s also great at raising money and smearing political opponents. He loves his daughter and will do anything to protect her. Lionel is ambitious and puts politics above everything else. Nester is known for this ruthless power tactics. He doesn’t make decisions based on emotion and is cautious in those he trusts. He has a criminal reputation, but is respected in New Mexico. Eli’s wife Dale is a trial attorney who specializes in medical malpractice cases. Each character has flaws and strengths that come through clearly in their actions and words.
If you enjoy action-packed political thrillers with heart, then look no further than this novel. The intensity and sense of urgency kept me rapidly turning the pages with gripping scenes, action, danger, an excellent plot, and fantastic writing. The world-building and atmosphere immediately transported me to the various locations, whether the action was in the White House, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, or New Mexico. The way Eli deals with the bad personal news has a huge impact on the reader, but that is just one of the dramas playing out. With twists, turns, and action, the story unfolds at a rapid pace. The ending is impactful and insightful. Topics include terminal illness, power, money, family, friendship, secrets, death, and much more.
Overall, this is a gritty and suspenseful high-stakes thriller that has an outstanding premise and is also thought-provoking and filled with extraordinary, but flawed characters. It’s also moving and has heart. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won’t be the last. I highly recommend this novel.
Thomas and Mercer and Robert Bailey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 01, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.57 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
April 6, 2025
Free Kindle First Reads book this month and one I’m so happy I chose!!!
GREAT book! The topic - truly concerning. The characters were written well. The plot was paced perfectly. I had a hard time putting down this book. I really appreciated a lot of the settings as well, growing up in Alabama (War Eagle), living in Florida for several decades, and then moving back home to Alabama. All of the places on the Gulf Coast made me wistful for days gone by.
GREAT book! The topic - truly concerning. The characters were written well. The plot was paced perfectly. I had a hard time putting down this book. I really appreciated a lot of the settings as well, growing up in Alabama (War Eagle), living in Florida for several decades, and then moving back home to Alabama. All of the places on the Gulf Coast made me wistful for days gone by.
September 5, 2025
“The Boomerang” is a potboiler of a novel, more soap opera than political thriller. It’s not very believable, but many may find it entertaining.
Lionel and Eli have been best friends since boyhood in Alabama. Eli helped Lionel get elected President. Lionel has just been inaugurated. Eli is his Chief of Staff. What Lionel hasn’t told anyone—not even Eli—is that cancer will kill him well before the end of his term.
Nevertheless, somehow, several highly placed government officials have learned of Lionel’s cancer. They control a cure that must remain secret so as not to damage the multi-billion-dollar cancer care industry or Big Pharma, a principal contributor to Lionel’s campaign. In exchange for the cure, he must keep it an absolute secret.
And then Eli’s daughter is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Eli and his wife, Dale, are determined to find a cure. Not even the divorce Dale has filed because of Eli’s infidelity with a beautiful lobbyist for Big Pharma will deter them. Nor will Dale’s job as a high-powered lawyer. Nor will her close friendship with client Nestor, one of the richest, most powerful men in the Southwest. Through Dale, Nestor became the largest contributor to Lionel’s campaign. Having underworld ties and indicted by the Feds for, among other things, campaign contribution violations, Nestor needs a presidential pardon—a pardon that would make Lionel and Eli look very, very corrupt.
The good news? The novel is filled with conflict. Readers who can get caught up in those conflicts may find much to enjoy.
The bad news? The characters aren’t very likable. Most suffer from "moral bankruptcy." Also, the story isn’t very believable. While it’s long on material about cancer and its effects on family, including lots of emotional angst, it’s short on credible plotting and convincing depictions of Washington and how it works. I never once got the sense that the author knew much about the White House, or life there, or the day-to-day nitty-gritty of DC political life. Readers hoping for an “Advise and Consent,” “The Last Hurrah,” “All the King’s Men,” “Primary Colors,” or “House of Cards” may be disappointed.
But readers hoping for a novel that is not steeped in today’s marquee political issues, or who can overlook some of the plot holes and coincidences that, for me, damaged credibility, may find this entertaining.
Lionel and Eli have been best friends since boyhood in Alabama. Eli helped Lionel get elected President. Lionel has just been inaugurated. Eli is his Chief of Staff. What Lionel hasn’t told anyone—not even Eli—is that cancer will kill him well before the end of his term.
Nevertheless, somehow, several highly placed government officials have learned of Lionel’s cancer. They control a cure that must remain secret so as not to damage the multi-billion-dollar cancer care industry or Big Pharma, a principal contributor to Lionel’s campaign. In exchange for the cure, he must keep it an absolute secret.
And then Eli’s daughter is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Eli and his wife, Dale, are determined to find a cure. Not even the divorce Dale has filed because of Eli’s infidelity with a beautiful lobbyist for Big Pharma will deter them. Nor will Dale’s job as a high-powered lawyer. Nor will her close friendship with client Nestor, one of the richest, most powerful men in the Southwest. Through Dale, Nestor became the largest contributor to Lionel’s campaign. Having underworld ties and indicted by the Feds for, among other things, campaign contribution violations, Nestor needs a presidential pardon—a pardon that would make Lionel and Eli look very, very corrupt.
The good news? The novel is filled with conflict. Readers who can get caught up in those conflicts may find much to enjoy.
The bad news? The characters aren’t very likable. Most suffer from "moral bankruptcy." Also, the story isn’t very believable. While it’s long on material about cancer and its effects on family, including lots of emotional angst, it’s short on credible plotting and convincing depictions of Washington and how it works. I never once got the sense that the author knew much about the White House, or life there, or the day-to-day nitty-gritty of DC political life. Readers hoping for an “Advise and Consent,” “The Last Hurrah,” “All the King’s Men,” “Primary Colors,” or “House of Cards” may be disappointed.
But readers hoping for a novel that is not steeped in today’s marquee political issues, or who can overlook some of the plot holes and coincidences that, for me, damaged credibility, may find this entertaining.
May 8, 2025
I found the premise and execution of this book to be highly problematic, ultimately resulting in a one-star rating. If AI ever writes a fiction book this would be it.
The main assertion of the book is that a cancer cure would trigger worldwide economic Armageddon, thus warranting the murder by the U.S. government of those who discover it or try to find out more about it, is unconvincing.
While I acknowledge the initial disruption to the oncology and pharmaceutical sectors, the book fails to consider the long-term economic benefits of eradicating cancer, including reduced healthcare expenditures and increased productivity. After a few years of disruption in certain fields, a cancer cure would be at worst an economic wash and best an economic boom.
This book is based on a poorly conceived conspiracy theory. My conspiracy theory: This book currently holds a significantly higher rating than all well-regarded literary and popular culture classics, suggesting a potentially artificial inflation of by fake and paid reviews by a very aggressive publishing company.
The main assertion of the book is that a cancer cure would trigger worldwide economic Armageddon, thus warranting the murder by the U.S. government of those who discover it or try to find out more about it, is unconvincing.
While I acknowledge the initial disruption to the oncology and pharmaceutical sectors, the book fails to consider the long-term economic benefits of eradicating cancer, including reduced healthcare expenditures and increased productivity. After a few years of disruption in certain fields, a cancer cure would be at worst an economic wash and best an economic boom.
This book is based on a poorly conceived conspiracy theory. My conspiracy theory: This book currently holds a significantly higher rating than all well-regarded literary and popular culture classics, suggesting a potentially artificial inflation of by fake and paid reviews by a very aggressive publishing company.
August 22, 2025
“We… the government that’s supposed to be of the people, by the people, for the people… we’re the monster.”
This was so surprising and absolutely blew me away. I really enjoy Robert Bailey books, but this is easily my favorite. I couldn’t put it down.
I am not a political person… I won’t go down that rabbit hole but I’m not a fan of politicians… I’m not a conspiracy theorist either, but I just don’t trust our government… especially when it comes to medicine. I’ve been a nurse a loooooooong time… and I’ve seen their negative influences first hand, too many times to count.
This is a fictional story (that feels like it could absolutely be real), about the government holding the cure for cancer a secret as they believe it would completely cripple Americas revenue and leave the U.S. susceptible to the rest of the world. When two life long friends (one currently President of the USA and the other one of his Chief of Staff) both have personal run ins with cancer, their lives are tipped upside down as the government will do anything to keep the secret of their miracle drug.
This is fast paced action with lots of heart, treachery, deception, and desperation!! I loved it!!
Also… I literally cried reading the authors note at the end of this thing. I too… like the character Uncle Ralph, and apparently like author Robert Bailey, am a crier… life is so precious… I know this because of what I do for a living… love your people… don’t ever stop because you never know when they can be taken away from you.
This was so surprising and absolutely blew me away. I really enjoy Robert Bailey books, but this is easily my favorite. I couldn’t put it down.
I am not a political person… I won’t go down that rabbit hole but I’m not a fan of politicians… I’m not a conspiracy theorist either, but I just don’t trust our government… especially when it comes to medicine. I’ve been a nurse a loooooooong time… and I’ve seen their negative influences first hand, too many times to count.
This is a fictional story (that feels like it could absolutely be real), about the government holding the cure for cancer a secret as they believe it would completely cripple Americas revenue and leave the U.S. susceptible to the rest of the world. When two life long friends (one currently President of the USA and the other one of his Chief of Staff) both have personal run ins with cancer, their lives are tipped upside down as the government will do anything to keep the secret of their miracle drug.
This is fast paced action with lots of heart, treachery, deception, and desperation!! I loved it!!
Also… I literally cried reading the authors note at the end of this thing. I too… like the character Uncle Ralph, and apparently like author Robert Bailey, am a crier… life is so precious… I know this because of what I do for a living… love your people… don’t ever stop because you never know when they can be taken away from you.
April 13, 2025
Books like this one are why I blind read. This novel is not one I would have EVER picked up had I read the synopsis or knew what it was about prior to starting it.
It is way out of my comfort zone of my normal read, but it was actually a fantastic book.
It had a “House of Cards” vibe to it and I thought it was brilliant to place this story mostly in the New Mexico desert. I will say I’m not sure if Thriller is the right genre for this to be in, honestly, but it is definitely more of a “dude read.” It has a lot of action-movie-type scenes. Mark Wahlberg would play Eli, for sure. you are definitely not going to find this under “Chick Lit.”
This book gives life to one of my favorite conspiracy theories- that there is a cure for cancer and the Government is hiding it from us. It was thought provoking and intense, and asks the question: What would you do to save your child’s life?
Even though Eli is a piece of shit (remember, I hate cheaters) you find yourself rooting for him for the length’s he’s willing to go for his daughter.
There were scenes in this book that were so action-
packed and well written that it gave me goosebumps. The visualization was impeccable.
The ending was SO GOOD.
I will say there are parts of this book that seem highly unrealistic (because they are), but I found the book so engaging and interesting that I didn’t care.
Again, so NOT my kind of book but it was an Amazon first read and it had great ratings, so I dabbled and it was a win.
It is way out of my comfort zone of my normal read, but it was actually a fantastic book.
It had a “House of Cards” vibe to it and I thought it was brilliant to place this story mostly in the New Mexico desert. I will say I’m not sure if Thriller is the right genre for this to be in, honestly, but it is definitely more of a “dude read.” It has a lot of action-movie-type scenes. Mark Wahlberg would play Eli, for sure. you are definitely not going to find this under “Chick Lit.”
This book gives life to one of my favorite conspiracy theories- that there is a cure for cancer and the Government is hiding it from us. It was thought provoking and intense, and asks the question: What would you do to save your child’s life?
Even though Eli is a piece of shit (remember, I hate cheaters) you find yourself rooting for him for the length’s he’s willing to go for his daughter.
There were scenes in this book that were so action-
packed and well written that it gave me goosebumps. The visualization was impeccable.
The ending was SO GOOD.
I will say there are parts of this book that seem highly unrealistic (because they are), but I found the book so engaging and interesting that I didn’t care.
Again, so NOT my kind of book but it was an Amazon first read and it had great ratings, so I dabbled and it was a win.
December 7, 2024
How far would you go if your only daughter had cancer and you could get your hands on the pills that would cure her? Eli James is the newly elected president's chief of staff. When the newly elected president, who has terminal cancer, is now healthy, Eli knows he has to get his hands on that medicine for his daughter. Eli will do anything to get it; even if it means blackmailing his best friend to get it. The secret the US government is keeping is worth billions of dollars and millions of lives. It all comes down to an epic showdown between a corrupt government and a desperate citizen willing to risk everything to save his daughter. Robert Bailey has done it again! He has written a book that I couldn't put down. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I highly recommend it.
January 3, 2025
This is a fractionally terrifying , well written and (we have to hope)
unbelievable story about what can happen for the most powerfully
placed American, but cannot and will not happen for the rest of the
citizenry. And why not? Because money is more important [or more
profitable] for insurance companies and their criminal enterprises.
It is nothing short of terrifying to follow this story from the disbelief
of the beginning, to the finality of the reality for everyone involved.
You cannot be unmoved.
Make this your book of 2025. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer Publishing
for the download of this book for review purposes.
unbelievable story about what can happen for the most powerfully
placed American, but cannot and will not happen for the rest of the
citizenry. And why not? Because money is more important [or more
profitable] for insurance companies and their criminal enterprises.
It is nothing short of terrifying to follow this story from the disbelief
of the beginning, to the finality of the reality for everyone involved.
You cannot be unmoved.
Make this your book of 2025. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer Publishing
for the download of this book for review purposes.
June 1, 2025
Action-packed political thriller, about Project Boomerang, a top-secret defense initiative and a matter of national security- a pill that cures cancer.
“The oncology market is a multi-billion-dollar industry…If the FDA approves a medication that cures cancer, it could cripple the entire economy.”
This story features complex moral dilemmas, high-stakes conspiracies, complicated alliances and an interesting cast of characters.
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.
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Prime first reads (April)
“The oncology market is a multi-billion-dollar industry…If the FDA approves a medication that cures cancer, it could cripple the entire economy.”
This story features complex moral dilemmas, high-stakes conspiracies, complicated alliances and an interesting cast of characters.
.
.
.
.
Prime first reads (April)
April 11, 2025
Too complicated
Story was pretty interesting until midpoint when the plot fully developed a direction that was so far fetched and sensational it lost credibility. Became a chore to finish.
Story was pretty interesting until midpoint when the plot fully developed a direction that was so far fetched and sensational it lost credibility. Became a chore to finish.
May 28, 2025
3.5 stars. Good political mystery, which I don’t normally read. The Boomerang can cure cancer but it’s top secret and only few VIP government officials know about. It must stay secret because releasing it to the world would cost Big Pharma millions of dollars. Eerie and disconcerting because it could very easily be happening right now and we’d have no idea.
April 13, 2025
4.5 “Book club” with hubby his choice. Initially I didn’t like it but once the ride started I couldn’t stop. Fast action fun read!
April 29, 2025
I’m circling back here, almost a month post-read, because this one has stuck with me. I plow through books like I’m inhaling them, and often I leave the characters on the page when I open the next novel. This one, however, has managed to linger somewhere in the recesses of my cluttered mind, and the myriad characters feel to me as if they are still there, waiting and ready to continue their stories. Once the reader is able to suspend disbelief in several events that transpire, the story becomes one of loyalty, love and the evolving nature of the relationships that define who we become. No spoilers, but suffice it to say that I found the personalities developed to be complex and nuanced; the plot points precisely structured to keep the reader engrossed and invested.
This was a new author for me, and I fully intend to explore his body of work. Well done and worth the read.
This was a new author for me, and I fully intend to explore his body of work. Well done and worth the read.
April 27, 2025
4 breathless stars for this action-packed political thriller that can't be put down. Medical, political crises at personal and public levels must be "handled" but end in unwanted outcomes. Big pharma the enemy or greed of a chosen few impacting the lives of needy cancer victims?
I just felt like I was reading a movie script, not a book. (a movie I would not enjoy, btw)
Currently this book is free from Amazon (4/27/25)
I just felt like I was reading a movie script, not a book. (a movie I would not enjoy, btw)
Currently this book is free from Amazon (4/27/25)
May 2, 2025
#ad mad love to @mbc_books #partner for my advance and finished copy
🫣 I didn’t take notes so my memory might not be remembering things right - or it might 🤷🏼♀️
Oof this book. Maybe I should read the blurbs once in a while. While I try to avoid books that have a cancer plot I found this book so entertaining. And I think there’s some truth somewhere within these chapters. Even though fiction, it’ll have you thinking.
The new president has just learned his cancer has come back but is offered a special treatment - but he’s to tell no one. They don’t really want cancer to be cured. So much money is made off of those patients.
Boomerang is the name of the special drug. All is fine and dandy with taking this medication and hiding it from the public, until someone who’s close to him finds out their daughter has cancer.
Chemo came out around 1940’s and radiation came out BACK IN THE 1800’s. No advancements since then? Nah I don’t buy it and I’ve read a lot of things about it. I have said and will always say they murdered my mother and everyone else who has lost their life to cancer. I’d love to know what they’ve been researching all these decades because it sure wasn’t how to cure cancer. Just my opinion. My mom (her first time with cancer) had experimental treatments but nothing ever came of those and luckily she wasn’t one of those who got the experimental drug. They didn’t tell who did and didn’t have the experimental treatments until after from what I remember.
Also, my mom couldn’t work anymore. She had been an xray tech/in the medical field. One cancer med was $1000 A MONTH - she got $900 a MONTH FOR DISABILITY. And insurance wouldn’t cover it. Can’t remember how she afforded that med - maybe a breast cancer foundation helped.
Anyways, it was nice reading a book that explored these things.
Read and listened to the audio. Narrator did a fantastic job.
🫣 I didn’t take notes so my memory might not be remembering things right - or it might 🤷🏼♀️
Oof this book. Maybe I should read the blurbs once in a while. While I try to avoid books that have a cancer plot I found this book so entertaining. And I think there’s some truth somewhere within these chapters. Even though fiction, it’ll have you thinking.
The new president has just learned his cancer has come back but is offered a special treatment - but he’s to tell no one. They don’t really want cancer to be cured. So much money is made off of those patients.
Boomerang is the name of the special drug. All is fine and dandy with taking this medication and hiding it from the public, until someone who’s close to him finds out their daughter has cancer.
Chemo came out around 1940’s and radiation came out BACK IN THE 1800’s. No advancements since then? Nah I don’t buy it and I’ve read a lot of things about it. I have said and will always say they murdered my mother and everyone else who has lost their life to cancer. I’d love to know what they’ve been researching all these decades because it sure wasn’t how to cure cancer. Just my opinion. My mom (her first time with cancer) had experimental treatments but nothing ever came of those and luckily she wasn’t one of those who got the experimental drug. They didn’t tell who did and didn’t have the experimental treatments until after from what I remember.
Also, my mom couldn’t work anymore. She had been an xray tech/in the medical field. One cancer med was $1000 A MONTH - she got $900 a MONTH FOR DISABILITY. And insurance wouldn’t cover it. Can’t remember how she afforded that med - maybe a breast cancer foundation helped.
Anyways, it was nice reading a book that explored these things.
Read and listened to the audio. Narrator did a fantastic job.
April 17, 2025
This was my first Robert Bailey novel. It was fun reading about places that are a few miles from my house - Trowbridge’s and Ricatoni’s - which are restaurants in downtown Florence, AL. But, the idea that our government might do something as horrible as was portrayed in the book was, unfortunately, 100% believable. It would be fantastic if we ever found a cure-all for cancer. One can hope!
April 26, 2025
Impossible basic premise
Oncology's cost is not such a big deal as the writer wants you to believe. Perhaps he could sell his idea better if he just enlarged the scope to include the total cost of healthcare in this country. A sudden disclosure of a for real cure for cancer would not be that big a deal. Sorry, but because of this, his story just doesn't work for me
Oncology's cost is not such a big deal as the writer wants you to believe. Perhaps he could sell his idea better if he just enlarged the scope to include the total cost of healthcare in this country. A sudden disclosure of a for real cure for cancer would not be that big a deal. Sorry, but because of this, his story just doesn't work for me
July 15, 2025
This was nonstop action and pulse-pounding thrills, and if I am perfectly honest, a little bit chilling too, considering the topic. Felt very prescient of our times.
I took a risk on this "political thriller" as it is billed because a beloved & trusted bookseller shared it was one of her top reads of the year, so when I found the title on sale, I decided to pick it up. And I was NOT disappointed! It will certainly be one of my top reads this year also!
In this story, we meet Eli and Lionel, best friends since childhood growing up in Lick Skillet, Alabama, and have now risen to the highest ranks of political society, as Lionel has been elected President of the United States and Eli is his Chief of Staff and right hand man. Each have sacrificed an awful lot to get to where they are, but have never doubted their bonds of friendship. What the world doesn't know, in fact only a top few advisors to the President are aware, is that Lionel has terminal cancer with only several months to a year or more yet to live. So, on the morning of his inauguration, he is approached by a member of the FBI who offers him 'The Boomerang', the literal cure for cancer covered up by Big Pharma and the government and only deployed as absolutely necessary, but absolutely CANNOT be offered to the general public. The President reluctantly begins to take this magic pill and his current condition is almost completely reversed much to the surprise and delight of his best friend Eli. But, when Eli's 17 year old daughter is also suddenly diagnosed with a terminal form of lunch cancer, he will stop at nothing to discover new treatments that may be possible due to his elevated level in society. And what he finds out is deeper and darker and more twisty of a cover up than he can possibly comprehend.
This. Was. A. Ride. And it is violent and gripping and propulsive, but also deeply telling of the human condition and was especially poignant for this reader.
I loved it and highly recommend it if you feel like this topic is at all interesting to you, but be warned, once you pick it up, you will have a hard time setting it back down for too long. :)
I took a risk on this "political thriller" as it is billed because a beloved & trusted bookseller shared it was one of her top reads of the year, so when I found the title on sale, I decided to pick it up. And I was NOT disappointed! It will certainly be one of my top reads this year also!
In this story, we meet Eli and Lionel, best friends since childhood growing up in Lick Skillet, Alabama, and have now risen to the highest ranks of political society, as Lionel has been elected President of the United States and Eli is his Chief of Staff and right hand man. Each have sacrificed an awful lot to get to where they are, but have never doubted their bonds of friendship. What the world doesn't know, in fact only a top few advisors to the President are aware, is that Lionel has terminal cancer with only several months to a year or more yet to live. So, on the morning of his inauguration, he is approached by a member of the FBI who offers him 'The Boomerang', the literal cure for cancer covered up by Big Pharma and the government and only deployed as absolutely necessary, but absolutely CANNOT be offered to the general public. The President reluctantly begins to take this magic pill and his current condition is almost completely reversed much to the surprise and delight of his best friend Eli. But, when Eli's 17 year old daughter is also suddenly diagnosed with a terminal form of lunch cancer, he will stop at nothing to discover new treatments that may be possible due to his elevated level in society. And what he finds out is deeper and darker and more twisty of a cover up than he can possibly comprehend.
This. Was. A. Ride. And it is violent and gripping and propulsive, but also deeply telling of the human condition and was especially poignant for this reader.
I loved it and highly recommend it if you feel like this topic is at all interesting to you, but be warned, once you pick it up, you will have a hard time setting it back down for too long. :)
Read
July 23, 2025DNF
April 17, 2025
Great fun
(3). This book was a perfect companion for a long plane ride yesterday. I have read Bailey’s Jason Rich books so I knew he was an entertaining writer and was happy to try this freebie. There is a lot of sap in this one but lots of action and a story that is almost frighteningly possible. It made for massive page turning and a real easy read. Good stuff.
(3). This book was a perfect companion for a long plane ride yesterday. I have read Bailey’s Jason Rich books so I knew he was an entertaining writer and was happy to try this freebie. There is a lot of sap in this one but lots of action and a story that is almost frighteningly possible. It made for massive page turning and a real easy read. Good stuff.
June 15, 2025
Interesting premise. But, a bit over the top. Unlikable characters. Dragged on too much.
The Boomerang attempts to deliver a high stakes political thriller, but ultimately falls flat. While the premise of a government cover-up involving a cure for cancer holds some initial intrigue, the execution quickly devolves into a series of unbelievable events and thinly sketched characters. The protagonist's desperate fight for his family is meant to be the emotional core, but his actions often feel less like those of a desperate father and more like a cartoon villain.
The pacing, meant to be fast, instead feels rushed and chaotic, sacrificing any real build-up of suspense or emotional resonance. Plot twists are introduced haphazardly, and resolutions often feel too convenient or entirely unearned. The "realism" of the political and medical intrigue is severely lacking, requiring a significant suspension of disbelief that even the most avid thriller fan might struggle with. Overall, The Boomerang tries to hit big, but misses the mark, leaving a rather forgettable impression.
The Boomerang attempts to deliver a high stakes political thriller, but ultimately falls flat. While the premise of a government cover-up involving a cure for cancer holds some initial intrigue, the execution quickly devolves into a series of unbelievable events and thinly sketched characters. The protagonist's desperate fight for his family is meant to be the emotional core, but his actions often feel less like those of a desperate father and more like a cartoon villain.
The pacing, meant to be fast, instead feels rushed and chaotic, sacrificing any real build-up of suspense or emotional resonance. Plot twists are introduced haphazardly, and resolutions often feel too convenient or entirely unearned. The "realism" of the political and medical intrigue is severely lacking, requiring a significant suspension of disbelief that even the most avid thriller fan might struggle with. Overall, The Boomerang tries to hit big, but misses the mark, leaving a rather forgettable impression.
April 18, 2025
Almost a good thriller
A well written but unbelievable story with a few sympathetic characters, a fast-moving if ridiculous plot, and totally unrealistic bad guys. The author clearly has a sincere interest in the medical issues described, but his use of them is off-putting and absurd. I am kicking myself for wasting so many hours reading it, except that I got caught up in wanting to know the ending.
A well written but unbelievable story with a few sympathetic characters, a fast-moving if ridiculous plot, and totally unrealistic bad guys. The author clearly has a sincere interest in the medical issues described, but his use of them is off-putting and absurd. I am kicking myself for wasting so many hours reading it, except that I got caught up in wanting to know the ending.
June 8, 2025
Government Cabal Tries To Keep Cancer Cure Secret
The novel opens with Lionel Cantrell and Eli James playing a game of catch. Eli and Lionel had led their team to a thorough beating of a rival in the annual Fourth of July game. Lionel pitched a shutout, and Eli hit a home run and a double. As the catcher, Eli threw out two base runners. An everlasting friendship began that would last until the end of the novel. The novel jumps to the start of Cantrell’s Presidency, and James is his Chief of Staff.
This novel consists of three main storyline threads. The first thread tells the story of a cabal of three high government officials who learned about a pill that a pharmacist was selling at flea markets along the Gulf Coast that cured all cancers. The Cabal deemed it a National Security issue as if it became public, it would destroy the US economy. The second thread is Lionel Cantrell’s story. His colon cancer was in remission, but now, after his election, it is roaring back. He has somewhere between two months to two years to live. The Cabal decides that the Vice-President would be a disaster as President, so they decide to reveal this secret to Cantrell and have him take the medication. The third thread is the chief thread. It starts with just James. He believes he is the only person that knows of Cantrell’s cancer reoccurrence. Soon after starting his job as Cantrell’s Chief of Staff, his daughter collapses on a soccer field. Once the doctors are through, they tell Eli and his wife, Dale, that their daughter has advanced inoperable cancer in both of her lungs. James notices that Cantrell’s cancer has gone into remission again and hears rumors about a cancer cure being kept secret. The rest of the novel is a race for James and his wife to find the cure while the Cabal tries to prevent them. There were twists and turns, but many of them were more like what I call literary grenades, as my understanding of what was happening was significantly altered. This cat-and-mouse story captured my interest.
The marriage of Dale and Eli James at the start of the novel is in a state of terminal collapse. Once they learn of the diagnosis of their daughter, Emma, there is an immediate change in both characters. Their actions show their dormant characters emerge very strongly. Most of Eli’s actions are separate, but he does coordinate with Dale so that outwardly, they appear to be parents seeking cutting-edge but traditional treatment. The history of Dale is provided in a B-storyline of her and Nester Sanchez, a paramount drug lord in New Mexico. This thread also provides a wealth of background on Sanchez. I felt that I knew the principal characters quite well.
Readers who are sensitive to language may find this novel challenging to read. Vulgar, rude, and impious language is at a very noticeable level. Violence starts being described after the fact. As the novel draws to a close, the violence becomes increasingly graphic and over-the-top. I question some aspects that are not very feasible. If you like action, it is in spades in this section of the book. On the plus side, there are not any intimate scenes. This is a stand-alone novel, so there are not any issues about what happened in previous novels. This novel should be acceptable to many readers, but I must add a caveat: “Let the reader be forewarned.”
A common aspect of this genre is the inclusion of over-the-top chase scenes and other dramatic sequences. That is a hallmark of his novel. What I really enjoyed was that all potential loose ends, plus many that I had not recognized as potential loose ends, were tied up by the end of the novel. I liked this aspect of the novel. The pace of the novel felt right. Shifting voices between chapters did not disrupt my reading enjoyment. I have read five novels over two series by this author. I have enjoyed reading his novels, so I have purchased four more novels. The author is in my Will-Read category. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend reading it. I am looking forward to his next novel. I rate this novel with four stars.
The novel opens with Lionel Cantrell and Eli James playing a game of catch. Eli and Lionel had led their team to a thorough beating of a rival in the annual Fourth of July game. Lionel pitched a shutout, and Eli hit a home run and a double. As the catcher, Eli threw out two base runners. An everlasting friendship began that would last until the end of the novel. The novel jumps to the start of Cantrell’s Presidency, and James is his Chief of Staff.
This novel consists of three main storyline threads. The first thread tells the story of a cabal of three high government officials who learned about a pill that a pharmacist was selling at flea markets along the Gulf Coast that cured all cancers. The Cabal deemed it a National Security issue as if it became public, it would destroy the US economy. The second thread is Lionel Cantrell’s story. His colon cancer was in remission, but now, after his election, it is roaring back. He has somewhere between two months to two years to live. The Cabal decides that the Vice-President would be a disaster as President, so they decide to reveal this secret to Cantrell and have him take the medication. The third thread is the chief thread. It starts with just James. He believes he is the only person that knows of Cantrell’s cancer reoccurrence. Soon after starting his job as Cantrell’s Chief of Staff, his daughter collapses on a soccer field. Once the doctors are through, they tell Eli and his wife, Dale, that their daughter has advanced inoperable cancer in both of her lungs. James notices that Cantrell’s cancer has gone into remission again and hears rumors about a cancer cure being kept secret. The rest of the novel is a race for James and his wife to find the cure while the Cabal tries to prevent them. There were twists and turns, but many of them were more like what I call literary grenades, as my understanding of what was happening was significantly altered. This cat-and-mouse story captured my interest.
The marriage of Dale and Eli James at the start of the novel is in a state of terminal collapse. Once they learn of the diagnosis of their daughter, Emma, there is an immediate change in both characters. Their actions show their dormant characters emerge very strongly. Most of Eli’s actions are separate, but he does coordinate with Dale so that outwardly, they appear to be parents seeking cutting-edge but traditional treatment. The history of Dale is provided in a B-storyline of her and Nester Sanchez, a paramount drug lord in New Mexico. This thread also provides a wealth of background on Sanchez. I felt that I knew the principal characters quite well.
Readers who are sensitive to language may find this novel challenging to read. Vulgar, rude, and impious language is at a very noticeable level. Violence starts being described after the fact. As the novel draws to a close, the violence becomes increasingly graphic and over-the-top. I question some aspects that are not very feasible. If you like action, it is in spades in this section of the book. On the plus side, there are not any intimate scenes. This is a stand-alone novel, so there are not any issues about what happened in previous novels. This novel should be acceptable to many readers, but I must add a caveat: “Let the reader be forewarned.”
A common aspect of this genre is the inclusion of over-the-top chase scenes and other dramatic sequences. That is a hallmark of his novel. What I really enjoyed was that all potential loose ends, plus many that I had not recognized as potential loose ends, were tied up by the end of the novel. I liked this aspect of the novel. The pace of the novel felt right. Shifting voices between chapters did not disrupt my reading enjoyment. I have read five novels over two series by this author. I have enjoyed reading his novels, so I have purchased four more novels. The author is in my Will-Read category. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend reading it. I am looking forward to his next novel. I rate this novel with four stars.
July 6, 2025
I read this book in one day, it was so propulsive and engaging. I thank Elizabeth Robinson Barnhill for putting this book and author on my radar. In this book, the President of the US has terminal cancer, and he is given a secret pill that cures his cancer. Disclosing the existence of a drug to cure cancer is a threat to national security so the president is sworn to secrecy until his best friend and chief of staff’s daughter is diagnosed with cancer also. The chief of staff and his wife find out about the drug and when their lives are endangered due to their knowledge they take refuge in Mew Mexico with and mafia-like kingmaker who attempts to protect them. What a ride this book is! Some of it seems like a stretch but it is plausible enough to keep reading and I truly enjoyed the plot, characters, and descriptions of the gulf coast of Alabama and New Mexico. I will definitely be sampling more from this author.
May 4, 2025
This was a terrible book-not so much die to the writing but due to the premise, and plot holes/untied up threads.
The book opens with two childhood friends having just fulfilled their dream of making it to the white house. One is president, the other chief of staff. Only the president has a recurrence of cancer, and people in the government on the Boomerang project decide to let the president in on the project-which is a pill the cures all types of cancer with no side effects. Why wouldn’t this pill be available to all? Because oncologists would be out of jobs and big pharmaceutical companies would lose billions on chemo drugs.
The president takes it and is cured and doesn’t tell anyone, and then the chief of staff’s daughter is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The chief of staff starts following threads about cures, realizes the president had the med, and gets it from him. His daughter is saved but the book goes to mission impossible style with shootouts and helicopters to protect the secret-which has barely a reason to be a secret and despite nobody willing to share the secret as they want the drugs for themselves.
And there is essentially a mafia guy who is in love with the chief of staffs wife who helps. And that’s ok because the chief of staff has loads of affairs.
The authors note shared he had been through the cancer journey with a loved one-so this deep state paranoia that flavored the book when I read it maybe was wishful thinking on his part? As someone who has lost people to concern and has three people I care for currently battling it-this book sucks. 0 stars id that were an option.
The book opens with two childhood friends having just fulfilled their dream of making it to the white house. One is president, the other chief of staff. Only the president has a recurrence of cancer, and people in the government on the Boomerang project decide to let the president in on the project-which is a pill the cures all types of cancer with no side effects. Why wouldn’t this pill be available to all? Because oncologists would be out of jobs and big pharmaceutical companies would lose billions on chemo drugs.
The president takes it and is cured and doesn’t tell anyone, and then the chief of staff’s daughter is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The chief of staff starts following threads about cures, realizes the president had the med, and gets it from him. His daughter is saved but the book goes to mission impossible style with shootouts and helicopters to protect the secret-which has barely a reason to be a secret and despite nobody willing to share the secret as they want the drugs for themselves.
And there is essentially a mafia guy who is in love with the chief of staffs wife who helps. And that’s ok because the chief of staff has loads of affairs.
The authors note shared he had been through the cancer journey with a loved one-so this deep state paranoia that flavored the book when I read it maybe was wishful thinking on his part? As someone who has lost people to concern and has three people I care for currently battling it-this book sucks. 0 stars id that were an option.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2025
first reads selection
saw really great reviews for this one and definitely had moments but imo to my tastes and senses was a notch above average
saw really great reviews for this one and definitely had moments but imo to my tastes and senses was a notch above average
June 5, 2025
3.5 stars. This one you think oh wow - this is probably true. And that’s troubling. 😉 I enjoyed it and was excited to get back to it to see what happened next.
June 24, 2025
June 2025 Good Book Club pick
June 30, 2025
thought provoking
May 12, 2025
I loved this book! Twisty, captivating the whole way through. Excellent writing. Interesting topic, too. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s close to the truth.
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