Another interesting thriller from the collaboration of James Patterson and Bill Clinton. An interesting premise that isnt too hard to keep track of

4.25 stars
President Madeline Parson Wright is in the middle of crucial, top-secret negotiations that could prevent the U.S. economy from collapsing. The past actions of her husband, former NFL player Cole Wright, could land him in jail and destroy her career. Could the handsome, popular first gentleman really be responsible for the death of an NFL cheerleader that he had dated before his marriage? Those with their own agenda are happy to exploit Cole's situation, but there is one journalist who is determined to uncover the truth, no matter what the cost.

This is the second collaboration between President Clinton and James Patterson that I've read, and I enjoyed them both. Patterson's skill at creating intriguing characters and fast-paced stories, combined with Clinton's insider information about the presidency and the U.S. government add up to an engaging book. Some things are predictable, but there are still some surprises when things are revealed at the end. I enjoyed the multiple points-of-view and short chapters of this fast-paced mystery/thriller.

I received an advance review copy of this ebook from Little, Brown and Company but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

In James Patterson's new book, America has a powerful new president. and her husband's on trial for murder.

Is the First Gentleman a killer? A pair of brilliant investigative journalists set out to answer that burning question about the NFL star-turned-political spouse.

I am not a Bill Clinton fan but I do like this book and his collabortation with Patterson.

President Madeline Wright is soon running for reelection and is also fighting to pass an important piece of legislation while her husband is on trial for the murder of his former girlfriend back when he was an NFL player and she was a cheerleader. A story of revenge, betrayal, secrets, mob activity, and more! A fast-paced edge-of-your-seat thriller. Loved it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

James Patterson and Bill Clinton team up again to write a gripping and page turning suspense story that will keep you riveted until the very end. This is one super duo writing team! Thanks for the ARC!

The First Gentleman is a fast paced story about a female President who is running for re-election and seeks to introduce a revolutionary new legislation, while her husband, an ex-NFL star, is on trial for murdering a former girlfriend decades earlier. With many twists and turns and a surprise revelation, the story kept me engaged and wanting to read more until the end.

The president is up for reelection and her husband is on trial for murder. What a great start to the story that unfolds. Is he a killer? he is an ex NL star so he could have committed the crime. This plot has all the twists and turns you would expect in a Patterson/Clinton novel. It does not disappoint.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my Goodreads page. This is out June 2, 2025.

In their latest collaboration, Bill Clinton and James Patterson introduce readers to a compelling premise: the First Gentleman is accused of murdering his former girlfriend two decades earlier, forcing the sitting President—his wife—to navigate both the legal chaos and the political fallout while pushing forward her ambitious legislative agenda.

While the concept was intriguing, the execution fell short for me. The characters felt underdeveloped, making it difficult to feel invested in their outcomes. The resolution was predictable, and I was left unsatisfied by the rushed courtroom scenes, which lacked the realism and suspense I typically expect from Patterson’s work. Additionally, several plot threads were left dangling—something that’s uncommon in his books.

Overall, despite its high-profile authors and timely themes, this one didn’t quite deliver for me. 2.0 stars.

As a general rule, Patterson's books are not great literature but they are fun to read. This one is no exception. Take a lawyer turned reporter looking to find out who murdered her boyfriend (while they were investigating the First Gentleman), add in the first female president who is working on a mysterious plan to save the country, mix in the mob, a 17-year old murder and a mix of characters whose motives are mixed and you have The First Gentleman. The short chapters serve to keep you in suspense and wanting to read just one more chapter. Before you know it, you are at the end of the tale. This one is great summer reading.

4.5⭐ Another winning story from a great writing duo. This was a real nail biter for me. Once I reached the 80% mark, I read another 3 hrs until I finished at 4 AM. I could not put it down!

The president's husband is accused of a 17 year old murder. The evidence just keeps stacking up against him. Meanwhile, the bodies are piling up. Is there a cover up? Who's behind it all?

While he is on trial, Madam President is needed at the White House, she has to chose between her husband and her country, because the world doesn't stop needing her. With a hurting heart and divided mind, she works hard to do the job she was voted into.

The whole story was very intense, with several story arcs happening, a lot of secondary characters, but culminating into a very satisfying ending. I have to say though, with so much detail in the book, I found the ending to be a bit rushed and not as much to that part of the story as I would have liked. But like I said, the ending was great, justice was found and served.

Thank you Bill Clinton, James Patterson, and NetGalley for this ARC. The above is my own and personal opinion.

Scandal around political figures what’s not to love?
Loaded with twist a turns it was enjoyable to read.
Fans of the authors will not be disappointed.

This book is the literary equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie: good, solid entertainment, but not too deep. But if you’re in the mood for that, this really hits the spot! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, James Patterson, Bill Clinton, and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always excited to get my hands on a James Patterson collaboration, I am especially eager when former US President Bill Clinton serves as co-author. These two have worked well together in the past, penning strong thrillers that I have found highly enjoyable. Once again, a solid piece pushes things along and provides a great read,. The First Gentleman is charged with murder while his wife, President of the United States, is trying to run for re-election. A mix of politics, police procedural, and crime thriller, Patterson and Clinton keep the reader enthralled with this story.

As sitting US President Madeline Wright prepares for re-election, she has a problem. She's got a major situation in California that could ruin her chances, forcing POTUS to juggle and call in some favours, at least until she wins once again in November. She has the dedication, and as long as nothing else stands in her way, she is a shoo-in to keep the Oval Office. That is, until her husband is the prime suspect in a murder from seventeen years ago,

Two stunning investigative journalists dig up a story while they are writing about the First Gentleman, connected to a missing cheerleader when Cole Wright was a professional football player. He denies having anything to do with it, but people are talking and the puzzle pieces are coming together with alarming speed. A buried body, with evidence next to the supposed grave, camera footage from a store in the area, and a rule about dating that could have ended Cole's career. All the evidence piles up and soon he's being arrested and dragged into court to face charges.

While the case unfolds in open court, POTUS tries to stay calm and support her husband. Her election might be in some doubt now, but family has to come first, right? Struggling to make sense of the charges levied against him, Cole Wright will have to fight like never before if he wants to see the light of day and ensure he does not tank his wife's future as well. A gripping story that flows well from a strong collaborative team!

I love a good crime thriller, especially when we can add politics to the mix. Patterson and Clinton work through a number of great elements with this piece, keeping the narrative moving well as the story progresses. Set throughout various time periods and through the eyes of a few narrators, the authors push the story through revelations, evidence gathering, and courtroom antics, all in an effort to keep the reader hooked. Using Patterson's signature short chapters, the story moves along at lightning speed and never lets up. Great character development provides much entertainment for the reader who can never quite catch their breath. Plot points emerge and develop with ease as the surprises keep coming, which accentuates the police procedural and courtroom antics even more. I cannot wait to see what these two will work on next or how long I will have to wait for another strong collaborative piece.

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson and Clinton, for a thriller I could not stop reading.

I love Patterson. He is an automatic pickup for me so I was ELATED to get this book early! It has everything you would expect from Patterson: thrills, twists, and when you think you’ve got it, you’re proven wrong! Thank you ti NetGalley, Patterson, and the publisher for this Arc copy!

This is a great, fast-paced thriller. I was so excited to read this and knew it would be a great ride from page 1.
The President's husband (First Gentleman) is on trial for murder. He was a NFL player and was secretly dating a cheerleader. 17 years ago she went missing and he's now on trial for her murder. The President wants to support her husband, but she's running the country and working to put in place her crowning political achievement of her first term, and can't let the trial distract her.
An enterprising and smart duo is investigating the crime/the First Gentleman and there is a wildly woven web of characters. I really liked the pace and the different jumps from one section to another with a bit of a fast-forward.
The twist was a surprise, but I had some thoughts about where this was headed.
A perfect read for Summer, and one that you can likely finish in a day. I love the short, quick chapters which kept me guessing and wanting to read 'just one more', and next thing you knew, another hour of reading had passed.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

A dynamic woman has become President. She along with her ex-football player Husband and long time friend and now Chief of Staff have big plans for America - but those plans are put on hold when her husband is arrested for killing his one time girlfriend.

An author and his lawyer girlfriend begin a book to "uncover" the lies behind the murder of the First Gentleman's girlfriend. But they come too close and people start dying.

Lots of twists and turns and I didn't see the ending till late in the story. Another great collaboration by the authors and a fun read

The First Gentleman is packed with hidden secrets, revenge, murder and the trial of the century that features a great cast of characters where only a few can be trusted.

The book is tautly plotted and expertly implemented.

The book is told from two POV's one being Cole who is The First Gentleman on trial for his life and Brea and investigativew journalist who's boyfriend was murdered for investigating Cole.

James Patterson and Bill Clinton are a formidable team and they take the reader down a path of twists and turns with red herrings to keep you guessing and turning those pages quickly.

That's all I will say so as not to give anything away but I will say be prepared to read long into the night because The First Gentlemen is hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privilege to read and review The First Gentleman.

Another book in a long line of Patterson books. This one with Bill Clinton as co-author. Unfortunately, I figured out early who was behind the main plot. I still kept reading as I hoped I was wrong and didn't see some strange unexpected twist. If you're looking for a quick read this is the book for you. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #TheFirstGentleman # NetGalley

Note: I received a DRC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

“America has a powerful new president... And her husband's on trial for murder.

Clinton and Patterson are back. And they’re better than ever.

The President of the United States is up for reelection.

Her husband is on trial for murder.

Is the First Gentleman a killer?

A pair of brilliant investigative journalists set out to answer that burning question about the NFL star-turned-political spouse.

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.”

This was easily the best book that Patterson and Clinton have written together. I was hooked on page 1, and I absolutely loved reading this book. Each of the twists and turns throughout the book made me more and more curious to see where the story was gonna go, and reading it was just a lot of fun. If you loved the first two books by James Patterson and Bill Clinton, then you’re really going to love this one!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐