THE PRESIDENT'S MISTRESS

A change of style, if not sphere, after Anderson's Actions and Passions and Approach to Kings--reconstituted political novels of the '60's which reminded you of Drury--this swings into the present, although Chief of State Charles Whitmore seems to be a better man than anyone who's been around lately. Nevertheless his private life, as carefully monitored as his public appearances, has included an affair with Donna Hendricks, a very attractive young woman now found murdered. Most concerned in processing the truth is Ben Norton, a lawyer, who also loved her and various points are revealed: she was three months' pregnant; she had begun a novel. There's also the murder of a senator and then an actor, drugs, and a possible Mafia connection. An assertive story, much harder-mouthed than any he's done, and you can never tell what's coming out in the wash with all that laundered money even if the president's conscience is relatively clean. Anderson's intentions are also aboveboard--commercial.