In Maya Golden Bethany’s upcoming novel, The Senator, recently elected Sen. Oliver Michaels of Maine is ready to throw in the towel. And who can blame him? Although Michaels was widely expected to shake things up for working folks and the poor, he hasn’t been able to do so. Instead, his efforts have hit a wall, and the mainstream politicians who dominate Congress have defeated every progressive initiative he’s introduced. He’s frustrated, and his once-robust idealism is fading fast.

On top of this, his marriage is crumbling.

It’s at this point that Alex Broussard, Michaels’ college girlfriend, now a New York Times reporter, contacts him. The two have not spoken in years, but when Broussard confides that she’s received an anonymous tip about a corruption scandal involving two members of Congress, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and a polluting chemical manufacturer and solicits Michaels’ help in stopping the collusion, it doesn’t take him long to get involved.

The unfolding drama involves unearthing a pay-to-play scheme that has allowed Takestrom Chemicals to dump toxic muck into a rural Indiana waterway for decades. As Broussard and her colleagues investigate, they discover rampant malfeasance, including kickbacks and the falsification of records. Even more concerning, their work has exposed evidence of wide-scale health problems among those living in working-class Markton, Indiana — illnesses that have led to premature adult deaths and a discernible spike in childhood cancers.  

Yes, it’s a familiar setup, but The Senator tells the story with a keen eye for detail. What’s more, Bethany’s empathy for the victims — unwitting prey of Takestrom’s conspiracy to elevate profits while ignoring the health and safety of local residents — is obvious. Moreover, the book’s inclusion of recognizable heroes and villains, including a sick child poisoned by Takestrom’s greed and a feisty group of reporters who refuse to be cowed by threats or intimidated by violence, gives readers characters to both root for and decry.

The plot moves quickly, and a slew of ancillary characters, including thugs in an organized crime ring, make an appearance. The upshot is that The Senator is a good old-fashioned page-turner with — spoiler alert — a happy ending. 

At a time when there’s very little to cheer in national politics, The Senator gives readers a needed boost.  Danger, intrigue, and romance intertwine to make it a compelling and entertaining read. A celebration of good over evil, The Senator provides a potent counterweight to an administration hellbent on supporting oligarchs, tax dodgers, and exploiters. 

Read it and smile. 

• • •

The Senator
By Maya Golden Bethany
Rising Action Press; 312 pages
Release date: April 15, 2025

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