November Third

Gatekeepers of Democracy Volume 2

Fiction - Social Issues
436 Pages
Reviewed on 09/26/2017
Buy on Amazon

Author Biography

While Bill Lewers has been a political junkie for as long as he can remember, it was only when he started serving as an election officer that he began to realize the special role these one-day volunteers have in ensuring that Election Day plays out as it should.

When he started to write, it seemed only natural that he should reflect on his own Election Day experiences, which he did in "A Voter’s Journey." But he also wanted to write fiction; to allow his imagination to build on the things he had seen to create stories that would connect with readers, both inside and outside the election administration community.

The result is the Gatekeepers of Democracy series, which is dedicated to the women and men who serve on Election Day. While the primary purpose of these books is to entertain, they hopefully do so in a way that mirrors the respect he has for the process and the people who make it work.

Right now the series consists of three volumes, "The Gatekeepers of Democracy," "November Third," and, the recently released, "Primary Peril." In the meantime, he would encourage anyone who finds these books enjoyable, to consider signing up with their local office of elections. Election Day service is a rich and rewarding experience. Perhaps you will see things that will inspire you to add to the wide-open genre of “election officer fiction.”

    Book Review

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

November Third is the second volume in the Gatekeepers of Democracy series by Bill Lewers, a story revolving around election drama and featuring a strong conflict. The story follows Carl Marsden, who joins the team of county “rovers,” the group responsible for testing voting machines and ensuring they are perfect before Election Day. He is a committed and conscientious worker who would leave no stone unturned to make sure his work is perfect. It isn’t long before he spots an anomaly in the system and this could have a great impact on the election results if not corrected quickly. The problem is that no one seems to believe him except his one-time antagonist, Cindy Phelps. Together they struggle to uncover the truth and then race against time to save the integrity of the election.

November Third is well-crafted and the prose is superb. The reader has the feeling of following an actual election preparation. The writing is confident and laced with wonderful descriptions of scenes, setting, and characters. It is well-plotted and the reader is treated to many surprises. I enjoyed the perfect paragraph breaks, the pithy sentences, and the overall dramatic effect of the sentence structure. Bill Lewers writes well and will definitely capture the hearts of readers with the fluidity of his prose and originality in his writing.

Romuald Dzemo

A novel with strong legal and political implications, November Third is the second volume in the Gatekeepers of Democracy series by Bill Lewers, a book that explores social issues combined with an intense political narrative. Carl Marsden joins the group of those testing the voting machines with enthusiasm. The job of this team is to ensure that there are no loopholes anywhere and that the machines work impeccably.

With very little time left before the November election, he makes a startling discovery: something is wrong with the machines and it could alter the results of the elections drastically. Something must be done and fast, but how could the problem be fixed when the only person who can see it is Carl and the only other person who believes him is the woman who was once his antagonist, Cindy Phelps? The reader is caught up in a frantic game as Carl and Cindy fight to unveil a situation that could influence the outcome of the elections. They are sailing against a powerful tide and time is against them.

Here is a novel that combines aspects of a political thriller with the originality of an election story to bring entertainment to readers. The reader is left in no doubt that the author knows what he is talking about and there are intricacies in the plot that will take readers by surprise. The story is well-plotted and the pacing is fast. I enjoyed the short chapters, the well-calculated paragraph breaks, and the enticing prose. Bill Lewers is a gifted writer and November Third is a great success.

Arya Fomonyuy

November Third is the second entry in the Gatekeepers of Democracy series by Bill Lewers, a well-crafted story that takes the reader into the behind-the-scenes stories of an election, a story that features the election fever and drama in a compelling manner. When Carl Marsden joins the team of county “rovers,” it is because of his desire to contribute to a fair election. With members of his team, he is supposed to check the voter machines for any irregularities. Everything seems fine, until some few days before the 3rd of November, Election Day. Carl discovers a situation that could change the outcome of the results and, if nothing is done quickly, the wrong person could get elected.

But no one will believe him and he could be setting himself up for trouble if he goes on about it. The only person who can buy into his discovery is someone from his past, who becomes an unlikely ally, Cindy Phelps. Together they have to risk everything to expose this defect, but time is running against them and the power structure would like things left the way they are. Can they succeed in time to prevent a serious fraud in the elections?

November Third is the kind of story that has you enthralled and keeps you glued to the pages. Bill Lewers shows great imagination when it comes to plot and the characters are well-explored. The story is well-plotted and it fits neatly into the fascinating setting. I was gripped by the suspense from one page to the next, following the conflict and feeling somewhat worried about the characters. This is one of those stories that will make readers fall in love with detective fiction. Great entertainment!