David Wong Ken expands ‘The Runnings’ with new political thriller

More than two decades after The Runnings first appeared, attorney-at-law David Wong Ken is extending its story with a new thriller, Presumption of Guilt, set for release on June 28.

The Runnings remains one of Jamaica’s most compelling political thrillers, blending suspense, intrigue and social commentary in a distinctly Jamaican setting. 

Its origins, Wong Ken said, lay in frustration with systems that concentrate power. “The Runnings had its genesis in my frustration with a system that seemed to place almost unrestrained power in the hands of a few. It began with a simple question: what happens when an ordinary Jamaican is suddenly forced to run for his life after becoming entangled in events far larger than himself?”

That premise evolved into a broader exploration of power and consequence. “I wanted to explore that question through a fast-paced thriller rooted in Jamaica, while also examining the complex relationship between power, politics, crime, and justice,” he said.

At its centre is Brandon Chong, an everyman protagonist rather than a typical political insider.

“He is an ordinary professional who suddenly finds himself caught up in extraordinary and dangerous events. In many ways, Brandon represents the average Jamaican: someone trying to live an honest life, make a contribution, and do the right thing, yet forced to confront powerful interests beyond his control,” Wong Ken said. 

Of mixed Jamaican Chinese heritage, Brandon Chong also reflects the country’s diversity. “As someone of mixed Jamaican Chinese heritage, Brandon embodies our national motto, 'Out of Many, One People', and symbolises the blending of cultures that has helped shape the country,” Wong Ken noted.

Commenting on the sequel, Presumption of Guilt, Wong Ken said, “It takes Brandon into even more dangerous territory, exploring questions of justice, state power and the historic rights of Jamaica's Maroon communities.”

What’s more, a serialised radio adaptation of The Runnings is in development, introducing a new audience to the character.

CONSEQUENCES OF POWER 

Though The Runnings engages with corruption and political conflict, Wong Ken resists reading it as commentary. “Rather than writing a political commentary, I wanted to examine the human consequences of power, how ambition, loyalty, fear, and self-preservation can shape events and influence the choices people make,” he said. In a small society, he added, such forces are keenly felt. “Jamaica is a small country, and perhaps more than in larger societies, politics can have a direct impact on almost every aspect of daily life.”

The legal profession provided both vantage point and texture. “Absolutely. The law provides a unique vantage point from which to observe human behaviour. Lawyers often see people at their best and worst,” he said. While the story is fictional, “The characters are composites, and the events are creations of the imagination rather than portrayals of any particular individuals or incidents”, its grounding in lived experience lends authenticity. “The legal and procedural aspects of the story were informed by my professional experience.”

What endures, he argues, are the motivations that drive events. “What is real are the human motivations that drive the story, the ambition, loyalty, fear, courage, and self-interest that influence decisions at every level of society.”

Wong Ken does not prescribe a moral. Still, the novel raises questions about integrity under pressure. “Doing the right thing is often difficult and sometimes dangerous,” he said. “Brandon's journey illustrates that integrity is not tested when circumstances are easy, it is tested when the cost of doing the right thing becomes very high.”

He sought to capture the country in all its contradictions. “I wanted to capture Jamaica's energy, complexity, contradictions and its sexuality,” he said, adding that its strengths and strains are intertwined. “We are a country of extraordinary talent, resilience and humour, but we also wrestle with issues of power, inequality and governance. The novel seeks to reflect both the beauty and the tensions that exist within Jamaican society.”

Those themes, he believes, remain current. “Perhaps even more relevant today than when the book was first published,” he said, pointing to continuing debates over corruption, transparency and trust. “Technology has changed, but human nature has not changed nearly as much.”

“Many readers seemed eager to see these themes explored through fiction, particularly in a story that was unmistakably Jamaican,” he said. “The most satisfying response of all has been hearing readers, more than twenty years after its original publication, tell me how much they enjoy the novel and how relevant many of its themes remain today.”

He has no plans to revisit the original. “The story reflects a particular moment in time and the concerns that inspired me to write it, and I think it remains true to those origins,” he said. But the wider project continues. “Readers can certainly expect more political thrillers in the future. They remain one of my favourite ways to explore the issues that shape Jamaica and the Caribbean.”

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com