"The perfect YA thriller for right now -- think John Grisham meets John Green. I couldn't put it down."
"Gripping and twisty, but also filled with heart. A fun must-read."
"An enthralling plot of power, greed, and murder... YA's answer to Harrison Ford."
Peter Stone is a lifelong fan of thrillers on the big screen, small screen, and page. He started early, writing a 5th grade book report on John Grisham’s The Firm. But his work as an author was sparked in earnest many years later at his wedding, where a bestselling author guest approached him after hearing his vows and urged “You have a book in you.” (This made Stone think that there were probably some really good drinks being served at the bar.)
That book is Stone’s debut young adult novel, The Perfect Candidate, is published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The story is inspired by his experience working in Washington, D.C. as a Spanish tutor for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and as an intern for Congressman Gary A. Condit just after he graduated from high school. Having majored in political science, Stone managed a Congressional primary campaign and is a Harry S. Truman Scholar. He is also a high school speech and debate national champion and maintains that speech and debate tournaments are the best thing any teenager could do with their Saturdays.
Stone has worked for fifteen years as a marketing executive for TV and film and is currently based in London, where he lives with his wife and three children. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University (BA, 2004) and Harvard Business School (MBA, 2008). He has lived in California, Utah, Boston, Israel, El Salvador, Japan, and the Netherlands.
Peter is represented by Richard Abate and Rachel Kim of 3Arts Entertainment.
Download high resolution author photo and book jacket art here.
From debut author Peter Stone comes a heart-stopping, pulse-pounding political thriller that’s perfect for fans of Ally Carter and House of Cards.
When recent high school graduate Cameron Carter lands an internship with Congressman Billy Beck in Washington, DC, he thinks it is his ticket out of small town captivity. What he lacks in connections and Beltway polish he makes up in smarts, and he soon finds a friend and mentor in fellow staffer Ariel Lancaster.
That is, until she winds up dead.
As rumors and accusations about her death fly around Capitol Hill, Cameron’s low profile makes him the perfect candidate for an FBI investigation that he wants no part of. Before he knows it—and with his family’s future at stake—he discovers DC’s darkest secrets as he races to expose a deadly conspiracy.
If it doesn’t get him killed first.
Learn more about the inspiration behind The Perfect Candidate here.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - Review
KIRKUS REVIEWS - Review
BARNES & NOBLE TEEN BLOG - Best New Young Adult Books of October 2018
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL MAGAZINE - “Peter Stone on his first novel—a political thriller set in DC—and the science of writing in sparse spare time”
CRIME READS - "This is a solid, compelling debut in a booming books category, YA political thrillers...Stone is an engaging writer who looks poised to draw a new generation of readers into the pleasures of the political thriller."
GLITTER MAGAZINE - Author Crush Friday Feature
DESERET NEWS - “How a D.C. scandal and interning for a congressman inspired this BYU alumnus' new spy novel”
TEENREADS review - "Peter Stone's THE PERFECT CANDIDATE is a wonderfully orchestrated political thriller, trading in the tropes of the genre while still having enough twists and turns to evade predictability."
TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX - New Releases Round-Up
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