David Wong Ken returns to Brandon Chong with Jamaican political thriller Presumption of Guilt

Attorney-at-law David Wong Ken is carrying forward the world of The Runnings more than twenty years after the novel first appeared, with a follow-up political thriller titled Presumption of Guilt scheduled to hit shelves on June 28.

The Runnings has long ranked among Jamaica's most gripping political thrillers, weaving suspense, intrigue, and social observation into a setting that feels unmistakably local. Wong Ken said the work grew out of dissatisfaction with structures that hoard authority. "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 starting point widened into a wider study of authority and its fallout. "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 the heart of the story stands Brandon Chong, a relatable lead rather than a seasoned political operator. "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. Brandon, who is of mixed Jamaican Chinese heritage, also mirrors the island's multicultural identity. "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.

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." A serialised radio version of The Runnings is also being developed, opening the character to a fresh audience.

Consequences of power

Although The Runnings deals with corruption and political struggle, Wong Ken is reluctant to label it polemic. "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 compact society, he added, those pressures land with particular force. "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."

His career in law supplied both insight and detail. "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. The tale is invented, yet grounded in experience: "The characters are composites, and the events are creations of the imagination rather than portrayals of any particular individuals or incidents." He added, "The legal and procedural aspects of the story were informed by my professional experience."

What persists across the fiction, he argued, is the impulse behind what unfolds. "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 set out to deliver a sermon. Even so, the books invite reflection on character under strain. "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 aimed to portray the nation in full. "I wanted to capture Jamaica's energy, complexity, contradictions and its sexuality," he said, noting that strength and strain sit side by side. "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 concerns, he believes, have not dated. "Perhaps even more relevant today than when the book was first published," he said, citing ongoing arguments over corruption, transparency, and public 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 does not intend to rework the original volume. "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. The broader undertaking, however, goes on. "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."