They do this, but they wrote that.

Since I became a Kindler, one who reads e-books and listens to audio books by means of a Kindle e-reader, my reading habits have changed immensely. My reading queue will always have room for the latest offerings from favorite authors like Pat Conroy, Michael Connelly, Greg Iles, and John Grisham. Anything Stephen King does outside of the horror genre is generally a must-do, as I think he is the best storyteller alive. Since Amazon makes it so easy to shop for and research books, I can hunt for books from new authors and writers from Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, and other states to which I have connections. Authors I’ve met during my journey through the world of publishing and self-publishing get nods.

Another group of authors whose work piques my curiosity consists of folks who are known for something other than writing. Lots of people write non-fiction books about whatever it is outside of writing that has given them a claim to fame or credibility. Instead of them, I’m talking about talking heads or actors or politicians or political spouses or political offsprint or political operatives or spies or burglars who suddenly hatch into a novelist.

The first such writer who found her way to my radar screen was a rebellious former First Daughter. She actually preceded my Kindling days, as I read her erotic novel Bondage by Patti Davisway back in the mid-Nineties.

These are examples of such reads since I started Kindling:

The Cajuns by Gus WeillGus has written a number of books and plays over the years, but he earned his spurs as one of the most astute Louisiana politicos of his day. The taught Jim Carville everything he knows about politics. The protégé coaxed the mentor to write this novel. Being a Louisiana boy, I really enjoyed it, even though I believe Weill employed a smidge of caricature and hyperbole in his depiction of the Cajun culture.

Those Who Trespass: A Novel of Television and Murder by Bill O'ReillyThe popular anchor of Fox News’ The O'Reilly Factor has written lots of books of political commentary and has had huge success with his recent historical Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever, but this novel was new territory for him. His insider knowledge of television, especially politically charged television, enabled him to spin a gripping yarn set on familiar turf.

House Dick by E. Howard HuntHere’s what the book’s Amazon page has to say about him: “Before he became one of the most controversial figures in modern American history, going to prison for his involvement in the Watergate conspiracy, E. Howard Hunt was an award-winning novelist, and the author of numerous popular political thrillers and crime stories. Hunt once worked as a CIA spy, inspiring the “Ethan Hunt” character played by Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible." As was the custom of the day of the 1961 original copyright, it came to a short 209 pages in print. Reading it was like watching a b-movie detective story of that period.
 
Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl and April HenryWiehl, the comely talking head from Fox News, is a Harvard lawyer and law professor who was principal deputy chief minority investigative counsel for the House Judiciary Committee in the late 1990s, including during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. This novel is part of the Triple Threat Club series that has similarities to James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club franchise. It is a serviceable read.
 
The Overton Window by Glenn BeckI have an audio version of this one. I started it once and didn’t get captured. It has been set aside for a later try in a different frame of mind.
 
The Campaign by Marilyn Tucker Quayle and Nancy Tucker NorthcottI am currently doing this one as an audio book. The story was a tad slow getting started. There are multiple readers involved. The former Second Lady of the land and her sister eventually hooked me. So far the story is giving me an interesting and pleasurable ride.
 
Have you encountered any pleasant surprises or shocking disappointments from novelists hatched from well known people of other stripes?