Two Faces to No One: One Man's Life

There was another time in America's history where her citizens were completely polarized; when every voter seemed to rally enthusiastically behind either a bright, rising star (John Fitzgerald Kennedy) or a seemingly unstoppable force (Richard Milhous Nixon). Then, as now, there appeared to be no middle ground in this nation. One man was considered our savior and the other our certain downfall, depending on one's political perspective. Set during the time between the memorable 1960 presidential election and the summer of '62, TWO FACES TO NO ONE follows two kindred rising stars in the political skies, Ross "Red" Emerson and Alberto "Al" Campari, as they first campaign for JFK and then as running mates during Yucca City's first-ever city council election two years later. Although only a "mere" municipal election in a small city, the shock waves cause by the treachery of some emanate all the way to the top, affecting the number-one labor leader at the time, the Attorney General, and even the 35th President of the United States (Jack Kennedy). The intense competition that raged between the two opponents in historic national election echoes throughout the local election pitting Red Emerson and Al Campari's "Righteous Rangers" against the well-connected Nick Zamboni and his two running mates. Candidates' reputations are sullied, careers targeted, and murder considered a viable option by one entrant. TWO FACES TO NO ONE is a novel that mixes historical fiction with political intrigue. It is Patrick Rowlee's second novel, on the heels of his very successful first effort VARRICK'S DISTURBANCES. Although two very different stories, both novels were inspired by real life and set in fictional emotion-charged Mojave Desert towns known as much for political polarity and racial bigotry as its sunny weather and prominence in aerospace and national defense. Critics have hailed TWO FACES TO NO ONE as being full of "depth and substance. "Rowlee is a powerful storyteller painting vivid portraits of his characters in a way that make them real, vulnerable, and accessible." "Descriptive without being flowery; compelling without being melodramatic. There is something in this novel for everyone!" - Amy Hammond Hapberg The tension in TWO FACES TO NO ONE builds to such a tremendous apex that it is nigh to impossible for the reader to put this page-turner down for even a minute.

Patrick Rowlee, now retired from a career in education spanning five decades, has authored four published novels and is anticipating the release of a fifth in the next few months. He lives in northern California with his wife Linda.