The Washington Decree

A Novel

By: Jussi Adler-Olsen, Steve Schein - translator

Narrated by: Jason Culp

The New York Times and number one internationally best-selling author of the Department Q series is back, with a terrifyingly relevant stand-alone novel about an America in chaos.

"The president has gone way too far.... These are practically dictatorial methods we're talking about."

Sixteen years before democratic Senator Bruce Jansen was elected president of the United States, a PR stunt brought together five very different people: 14-year-old Dorothy "Doggie" Rogers, small-town sheriff T. Perkins, single mother Rosalie Lee, well-known journalist John Bugatti, and the teenage son of one of Jansen's employees, Wesley Barefoot. In spite of their differences, the five remain bonded by their shared experience and devotion to their candidate.

For Doggie, who worked the campaign trail with Wesley, Jansen's election is a personal victory: a job in the White House, proof to her Republican father that she was right to support Jansen, and the rise of an intelligent, clear-headed leader with her same ideals. But the triumph is short-lived: Jansen's pregnant wife is assassinated on election night, and the alleged mastermind behind the shooting is none other than Doggie's own father.

When Jansen ascends to the White House, he is a changed man, determined to end gun violence by any means necessary. Rights are taken away as quickly as weapons. International travel becomes impossible. Checkpoints and roadblocks destroy infrastructure. The media is censored. Militias declare civil war on the government. The country is in chaos, and Jansen's former friends each find themselves fighting a very different battle, for themselves, their rights, their country...and, in Doggie's case, the life of her father, who just may be innocent.

©2018 Jussi Adler-Olsen (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Adler-Olsen writes as if he’s lived in the United States his entire life, and the novel reads as if it were written recently, not years ago. This thought-provoking and timely political thriller shows the author can craft more than compelling crime scenarios.” (Associated Press)

“A tantalizing and timely premise makes this political thriller one of those all-too-real scenarios that leave you thinking once you’re done. Spicy, smart, and entertaining.” (Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author)

“Adler-Olsen weaves a thought-provoking dystopia. . . . A hauntingly timely political thriller.” (Booklist)

A poor imitation of Grisham

I love the Department Q series and began the Washington Decree with great anticipation.
It is hard to believe that this book was written by the same author. No finesse, no complexity, poorly developed characters and a plot that raises the eyebrows in skepticism at every turn.
Stick to Denmark Jussi, and to Carl, Assad and Rose

Disappointing

I have really enjoyed all the Dept Q books, so expected much better than what I got here. Too many inconveniences were glossed over in an effort to make the story flow, but just made it all so unbelievable. The result was altogether a big literary disappointment.

Terrifying

Jussi Asler-Olsen knows more about how the US government works—including its weak points—than the vast majority of US citizens. He lays out how it could all come undone in terrifying detail. The worst is realizing how plausible it all is and how close to happening it could be.
My only quibble is the inordinately wordy building up process but that’s an editorial quibble.

disappointment

I think that Jussi Adler Olsen should stick to Dept. Q. I also hope that DJT never reads this.

Slow, but interesting

I am a big fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen. This book was different from others of his. It moved very slowly for some reason. I'll bet the movie version will be fabulous. My recommendation: wait for the movie and skip the book itself.

Way too long

Perhaps this book would’ve been entertaining if it had been edited properly. Halfway through the book I couldn’t go on this is the second time in my life that I have not finished a book.

Disappointed

This is not Jussi Adler-Olsen"s best work. There were inconsistencies and characters behaving stupidly, as in no reasonable person would have done the activity or believed what another character was telling them. too much handwringing and soap opera.

I am a big fan of Jussi's books so I am disappointed.

Compelling but flawed

I am a huge fan of the Department Q novels and on the whole I loved this stand alone book from Jussi Adler-Olsen. The ambition and scope of this book are huge; dealing with some broad issues about the threat to the independence of the American people during a crisis. However, in the middle of this grand story I felt it was let down by weak writing of the black and female characters. In my opinion the descriptions and dialogue slid dangerously into caricature on many occasions. However, that aside I rattled through this book and still enjoyed it tremendously. This would make an excellent Netflix, Prime TV series.

Unexpected story from Jussi Adler-Olsen

Very different from J A-O’s usual genre. Surprised at his choice of topic and knowledge of US politics. Look forward to his return to the genre at which he excels.

Ok, what?

I invite the author to do Trump under plague. With or without FEMA. Maybe the narrator’s character performances coupled with a change in setting, lent a stale atmosphere to this particular book of the authors’s oeuvre, but I much preferred all of the others. However, they were not set in the US and mostly had a British narrator. Things that were overlooked because content were great were cringey set in the US. Bit dated, so in addition contemporary sensibilities are jarred by the narrator and content.