Instruct: Classify the given review as either positive or negative.
Query: Fast food for inattentive readers.

Though Luther Whitney is an engaging hero, he seems lifted from the frames of "To Catch a Thief" and dropped behind an improbable two-way mirror to witness the most contrived murder the history of national politics. Mr. Baldacci has left nothing to chance, spinning into the plot-driven cuisineart an abusive President, a career driven Chief of Staff, untrustworthy Secret Service agents, an aging cat burglar and his estranged daughter who's ex-boyfriend lawyer is -- wouldn't you know it -- a cracker jack corporate attorney who hankers to return to the meaningful criminal defense work he misses. Whew! Did I miss anything? This script -- I mean novel -- is more of a palimpsest than a full blown story. The kind of "runaway besteller" that is most kindly be described as a fast read