In High Places (Hailey novel)

In High Places is a 1962 novel by Arthur Hailey, an author known for producing successful English-language bestsellers. The story takes place during a fictional Cold War crisis and centers on Canadian Prime Minister James McCallum Howden, who leads an unnamed party with a shaky parliamentary majority. Howden’s political struggles are contrasted with his stable but passionless marriage to Margaret, and he is haunted by guilt over a past affair with his assistant, Milly Freedeman. Despite this, he is portrayed as a sympathetic figure.

The novel weaves together three main storylines whose characters indirectly affect one another. The first follows Howden and his inner circle, including the romance between his aide Brian Richardson and Milly Freedeman. The second, set in Vancouver, involves an illegal immigrant and his lawyer’s efforts to secure his entry into Canada. The third deals with the looming threat of thermonuclear war and diplomatic negotiations between Canada and the United States to coordinate defense against the Soviet Union and its allies.

A key plot element is Howden’s amoral political pact with former ally Harvey Warrender, made to secure the party leadership, which now threatens his premiership as their relationship deteriorates. The opposition’s public relations campaign, centered on the illegal immigrant’s court case, further destabilizes the government. Howden successfully negotiates a treaty with the U.S. that ensures Canada’s survival in the coming war, and Richardson eliminates the threat from Warrender. However, Howden still faces likely defeat in the upcoming election due to his handling of the immigration case. The novel ends on a cliffhanger, with Howden preparing to address Parliament about the treaty, which could permanently reshape North America’s political landscape.