Remote Control by Stephen White

Let me define “airplane book:” a book that is entertaining enough to occupy your time for a cross country flight, but not one that is so gripping that it would interfere with a nap, or even break your heart if the flight ended and you left it in the seatback pocket when you deplaned. Remote Control by Stephen White is just such a book. Alan Gregory’s wife, Lauren Crowder, a deputy Dr. Alvarez who is losing her vision to multiple sclerosis, has fired her gun in the midst of a snowstorm in Boulder, Colorado. A gravely wounded man is found a distance away, and she is arrested for what may become a capital crime. Alan’s good friend, detective Sam Purdy, can’t be the lead investigator because of his relationship with the perp who has become persona non grata with the Boulder PD. Meanwhile, White develops a subplot about Emma Spire, the daughter of a world renown politician who was assassinated because of his pro-choice stance. Emma was caught on video as she cradled her father as he died from his wounds. She is a sort of Caroline Kennedy type, well-poised, loved by most, and a tabloid sensation to everyone. A few years after the assassination, Emma decided to go to law school, became an intern at Lauren’s firm, and this ultimately lonely woman has been befriended by Lauren. Emma’s privacy is being threatened in the most intimate way possible and the shooting had to do with Lauren’s attempt to defend her friend. The story moved along quite well until the extraordinarily convoluted ending. This story did not live up to the other books I’ve read by this author, who I’ve already identified as being a possible member of my power rotation of authors. One average read won’t turn me away from more of his novels.