John DeDakis’s Enemies Domestic explores the pain, conflict, and intrigue behind the glitzy corridors of power, exploring with striking honesty and emotional depth the delicate battle between truth and artifice.
Beneath political headlines, a human story unfolds. Book Six in the Lark Chadwick Mystery series, Enemies Domestic comes out as a contemporary political thriller that exposes the politics of the White House amidst one woman’s personal anguish, professional stress, and inner strength.
Lark’s shattered self-confidence flounders beneath the expectations of the world. She must balance the shadows of her past, media intrigues, and power machinations as she goes from being a journalist to a political spokesperson.
We meet Lark Chadwick in her role of Press Secretary to the President of the United States, whose every word is weighed, every silence analyzed, and every gesture can become national news.
Power in this world, as Lark soon finds out, is measured not just by truths revealed, but those withheld. Every question in the press room is wrapped in politics, and inside the White House there is a strategy hidden behind every smile. Many times, Lark is forced to decide whether to tell the truth or become part of a system built on constant deception. In Enemies Domestic, enemies are not seen but felt.
Managing such a sensitive environment, Lark must hide a grief that has shaken her mental stability to show only strength in front of the world.
Tensions rise as political storms converge with personal ones. A press scandal, a security leak, and a private investigation challenge Lark on every front. She questions whether even the people she trusts are another sham. By the time she gets closer to the truth, she’s already many steps behind. Enemies Domestic gradually builds a sense of restlessness, binding the reader and forcing them to think each action through alongside Lark.
DeDakis’s clear, precise narrative style reflects his lived experience in journalism.
Short chapters balance a quick pace and deep plot. His naturalistic dialogue achieves meaning above dramatization through polite but sensitive language. Even in complex political discussion, the word-choice remains graspable.
Three central themes guide the story’s emotional weight: the contrast of power against helplessness, the role of the media, and the process of healing from grief.
Lark’s story reveals how, even at the height of power, a person may be breaking inside. In public life, vulnerability isn’t just rare; it’s dangerous.
Her inside knowledge as both journalist and representative highlights that power of media to not only report fact but also to shape public perception, even twisting the definition of truth.
As she becomes mired in political schemes and performance, Lark confronts grief as more than only internal, but as something that can deeply affect our professional decisions and persona. She can’t defer her sorrow forever.
Enemies Domestic by John DeDakis is a daring take on the familiar ground of political thrillers.
Lark Chadwick faces off against immense social and political pressure to forge a path of truth for herself. Her story makes us think about how often true emotions and human stories are hidden from the unclosing public eye.
This is a thriller that blends urgency with introspection. It not only excites but upholds compassion, truth, and courage, leaving readers with the lingering question—who is the real enemy?
While spending some time with his sweetheart, animal behavior scientist Grace McKenna and her adopted family of gorillas, Detective Matthew Finn finally endures a kiss from Neema while keeping an eye on the huge silverback Gumu. He accepts a ‘toy’ from their baby, Kanoni. But upon further inspection, Matt and Grace believe the object might be part of a human finger bone. Where did it come from? How did it get in the gorillas’ remodeled barn? The homicide detective knows he’ll need to investigate, but just then, his cell phone chirps.