The President is Missing

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Do you typically read political thrillers? If so, how does the novel compare to other works from this genre, like Stacey Abrams’s While Justice Sleeps or Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October?

2. How much did you know about Bill Clinton’s legacy as a former president? Did the context of this personal experience prompt you to read the novel? How did it affect your reading experience?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. At the start of the novel, President Duncan is viewed with suspicion and even suspected of engaging in duplicitous and treasonous behavior. Have you ever had your behavior questioned or misunderstood, even when you were acting with good intentions? What circumstances led to the confusion?

2. As the president, Duncan must often make high-stakes and morally ambiguous decisions (for example, deciding whether to eliminate a high-stakes target if this action will result in the deaths of children). When in your life have you encountered difficult or ambiguous decisions? What principles did you rely on to guide you?

3. At various points, Duncan must decide whether to share highly sensitive information with people around him. How do you decide what to share, and with whom? Have you ever regretted disclosing too much information to someone?

4. Rather than taking her own life, Bach decides to submit to a lifetime in prison in exchange for protecting her future child. Who is the person you would sacrifice most for? Why do you feel such a strong bond with this individual?

5. Duncan is betrayed by someone he trusted. Why do you think that personal betrayal is such a painful experience? Do you think that some people are more likely to be betrayed than others?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. In the speech that Duncan delivers at the end of the novel, he states that “our democracy cannot survive its current downward drift into tribalism, extremism, and seething resentment” (504). How does the novel overall comment on partisan politics in the US? Do you think that things have gotten better or worse since the novel’s publication in 2018?

2. The prospect of a massive cyberattack is depicted as a huge threat to every aspect of American life. Why do you think the contemporary world has become so dependent on technology and on the Internet in particular? What do you think would happen if the novel’s scenario happened in the contemporary US?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Some (but not all) sections of the novel are narrated in the first person by Duncan. How did first-person narration impact your reading experience?

2. Discuss the symbolism of Duncan suffering from a significant illness while the dramatic events of the plot unfold. How does his illness raise the stakes of the narrative?

3. How did you respond to the reveal that, during the seemingly high-stakes climax, Duncan already knew the password and had deactivated the virus? Why do you think Patterson and Clinton concealed what is truly happening at this crucial moment in the plot?

4. Were you surprised by the plot twist that Carolyn Brock was conspiring in the cyberattack plot? How did this plot element add complexity to the novel’s structure?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine a rewriting of the novel, set in 2025. How would artificial intelligence change the shape of how a cyberattack is depicted? What geopolitical tensions might replace those depicted in the original novel?

2. If the novel were adapted into a film, who would you cast in the lead roles? Would you change or omit any aspects of the plot in your adaptation?