In his first book since the national best-seller Silent Witness, Richard North Patterson uses his mastery of characterization and suspense to give us a story of startling realism and originality--an extraordinary novel of presidential politics.         In the year 2000, Senator Kerry Kilcannon's insurgent campaign against Vice President Dick Mason has come down to the last seven days--the time remaining until the California presidential primary. Whoever wins in California is likely to win the Democratic nomination, a prize that the Vice President is determined to deny Kerry at any cost. And for all the votes and enthusiasm his passion and personal magnetism have gained him, Kerry's problems are formidable.         He is haunted by the tragedy of his older brother, James, a presidential candidate who was assassinated in California twelve years earlier. Kerry has stumbled in his advocacy of abortion rights, and a right-to-life fanatic has pushed this explosive issue to the forefront by murdering three people at a women's clinic. In addition, a journalist for a national newsmagazine is striving to verify the lethal story that, two years ago, while still married, Kerry had a secret love affair with Lara Costello, a reporter assigned to him on Capitol Hill. And now, even more threatening, Kerry is being stalked by the abortion-clinic murderer himself.         This narrative is seamlessly interwoven with scenes from Kerry's past: his youth as the son of a drunken and abusive father; his self-image as the less-gifted younger brother of a brilliant yet distant senator; his reluctant ascension to his brother's place; his poignant romance with Lara Costello. And when Lara is ordered against her will to cover Kerry in California, he is forced once more to evaluate his life, and the terrible cost of his ambition to become President of the United States.         With rare authenticity, Richard North Patterson depicts the world of high-stakes presidential politics on the verge of an explosion that is as dramatic as it is thought-provoking. But No Safe Place is also a story of people at their best and at their worst: their passions, their ideals, their flaws. A novel that will hold the reader enthralled from the first to the last sentence. Richard North Patterson steals from the headlines to kick start No Safe Place , but then charts a course that is all his own. He starts with Senator Kerry Kilcannon, a candidate in the presidential primaries whose brother was assassinated right after winning the California primary 12 years before. Then he adds the fact that Kilcannon seems unable to run clear of a two-year-old affair. Sound familiar so far? Add to the mix the fact that Kilcannon is himself being hunted by a right-to-life activist who has already killed three people in a women's clinic, and you have a real thriller. Patterson has the reputation for being a writer of courtroom dramas, but what he really writes are taut thrillers scripted like great movies--the books jump cut from the past to the present, in the process developing parallel plot lines that are masterfully and satisfyingly resolved. And he does this in the context of authentic situations, using characterization to make you care; he steers you through complex plots, though often away from the path the story will eventually take. Silent Witness and The Final Judgment , Patterson's two best novels until No Safe Place , are indeed courtroom dramas, but they involve people with serious aspirations. The jump to people with political aspirations is easily and deftly executed. It's a small pleasure, but still fun, to find a few of Patterson's recurring characters (Tony Lord and his wife) with walk-on parts. At times this thriller is not a traditional page-turner. There are moments when the descriptions of domestic violence, for example, cause one to put the book down for a while--they are delivered with such power. No Safe Place is just the right reach for Patterson, and the perfect place to spend some time. In his new novel, Patterson (Degree of Guilt, Knop 1993) moves away from courtroom drama into the world of politics. As in his previous works, he maintains his emphasis on scandal, secrets, and controversial issues like abortion and the abuse of women and children. The main character, Kerry Kilcannon, is an Irish Catholic U.S. senator, reminiscent of the Kennedy brothers. Embroiled in a close campaign with the vice president for the Democratic presidential nomination, Kilcannon struggles to maintain his honesty and upright values in a sleazy world where everything depends on image and the proper spin. At the same time, a militant right-to-lifer vows to kill Kilcannon for his pro-choice stance on abortion. Throughout the constant twists and turns of the plot, Patterson builds realistic supporting characters and brings to life the surrealistic world of a presidential campaign. As in his other best sellers, Patterson excels in keeping the reader me