Synopsis
The BP Corollary by Rick Lacey is a gripping political thriller that blends fact and fiction to explore the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 and its far-reaching consequences. Written by a former BP Senior Financial Analyst, the novel draws heavily on Lacey’s insider knowledge of the oil giant’s corporate culture and practices, presenting a narrative that questions the official accounts of the disaster and alleges a massive cover-up involving BP, the U.S. government, and other powerful entities. The story unfolds as a fast-paced, globe-spanning tale of intrigue, corruption, and resistance, centered around two fired BP insiders and their romantic partners as they seek to expose the truth and hold the corporation accountable. The novel’s title refers to a fictional extension of the Monroe Doctrine, proposing that the United States should force foreign corporations guilty of chronic wrongdoing to divest their American assets, make restitution, and leave the Western Hemisphere—a concept that drives the protagonists’ mission.
The narrative begins in Florida, where Max Thomas, a former BP executive turned resort controller, is living comfortably after losing his job for writing a novel that criticized BP’s practices. His world is upended when news breaks of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, which kills eleven workers and unleashes five million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, devastating the ecosystem and spreading oil across nearly 12,000 square miles. Max had predicted such a disaster in his earlier work, and the tragedy pulls him back into the orbit of BP’s machinations. Alongside him is Liam Camron, another ex-BP insider bound by a confidentiality agreement, who is contacted by a reporter seeking answers about the explosion. The two men, supported by the women in their lives, embark on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth behind the spill, which they believe goes far beyond a mere accident. Their investigation takes them from the Gulf Coast to London, Houston, Amsterdam, and beyond, as they unravel a web of corporate greed, political corruption, and global financial intrigue.
As the protagonists dig deeper, they confront shocking allegations: that BP spent hundreds of millions to suppress news coverage and perpetuate a false narrative, that the U.S. government and agencies like the Coast Guard and EPA were complicit in a cover-up, and that cleanup workers are dying from exposure to illegal toxic dispersants like Corexit. The novel suggests that the $20 billion compensation fund may have been funded by taxpayers rather than BP and even implicates the military in providing deadly oil-eating microbes. Lacey weaves historical context into the story, tracing BP’s actions back to the influence of powerful banking families like the Rothschilds and Barings, and even the Knights Templar, framing the disaster as part of a centuries-old battle between the world’s most powerful elites. The protagonists’ journey becomes a life-and-death struggle as they face mercenaries, corporate espionage, and betrayal, all while grappling with the moral question of whether America has “sold its soul” for BP’s dollars.
The novel alternates between two narrative perspectives: a third-person omniscient viewpoint that provides a broad, historical sweep of the events and a more personal focus on the characters’ experiences. Max and Liam, depicted as warriors in a 200-year-old conflict, aim to force BP to divest its U.S. assets and leave the Americas, but their victory comes at a profound cost, with the narrative hinting that their success may lead to unintended global consequences. Lacey’s prose is dense with technical details and insider insights, yet it maintains a thriller’s momentum through vivid characterizations and high-stakes action. The story challenges readers to separate fact from fiction, questioning whether a foreign corporation could wield such influence over government, media, and academia, and whether the Deepwater Horizon disaster was not just a tragedy but a calculated act of negligence by those “above the law.” Ultimately, The BP Corollary is both a cautionary tale about corporate power and a call to action, urging readers to demand accountability and justice in the face of environmental and human devastation.