“Piacente tells a taut story that picks up speed as it progresses to a gripping, can't-put-it-down climax.”
— Larry Lipman, former National Press Club President

“In an era of heightened political sensitivities, Piacente’s Bootlicker is a timely story of hope, a tale of guilt and redemption, written as only an insider could write it.”
— Mark Sanford, former South Carolina Governor

“Piacente’s tenure as Washington correspondent for the Post and Courier gave him an insider’s view of South Carolina politics, racial issues and backroom shenanigans that helped make his second novel ... an intriguing, suspenseful political thriller.”
— Larry Tarleton, retired publisher, The Post and Courier

“Fascinating read about the threads of power between Washington and south Carolina.”
— Professor J. David Woodard, Clemson University, author of The New Southern Politics and The America that Reagan Built

“Takes us into the mind of aspiring news reporter Dan Patragno and political rising star Big Ike, bringing new meaning to the term ‘political lynching.’ Intrigue, race crimes, a hidden past and retribution take the reader on one thriller of a journey. Piacente nails it.”
— Melanie Saxton, book editor and reviewer, Houston, TX

“Authentic and exciting from page one! Bootlicker captures the inside stories from a reporter’s point of view.”
— Candy O’Donnell’s Blogspot, Orangevale, CA

“Piacente is clearly a Washington D.C. insider, well versed in how newspaper reporters and newspapers work. Well done.”
— Skip Stern, NY Goodreads reviewer

“A tightly wound and seductive tale ... i was hooked from the start.”
— Marsha Pesavento, owner, Artisanal Wilmette, Wilmette, IL

“It’s not easy to write the next great story. Piacente does it and does it to perfection.”

— Barbara Briggs Ward, Author/Illustrator, Ogdensburg, NY