Hillary Clinton to publish political thriller with author Louise Penny

Hillary Clinton will pen an international political thriller novel with her longtime friend, author Louise Penny.

The big picture: "State of Terror" will be out in October. Simon & Schuster and St. Martin's Press acquired the rights to the book from Robert Barnett and David Gernert, who represent Clinton and Penny, respectively.

A novice Secretary of State joins the administration of her rival, a president inaugurated after four years of American leadership that shrank from the world stage. A series of terrorist attacks throws the global order into disarray, and the Secretary is tasked with assembling a team to unravel the deadly conspiracy, a scheme carefully designed to take advantage of an American government dangerously out of touch and out of power in the places where it counts the most. 

What they're saying: "Writing a thriller with Louise is a dream come true," Clinton wrote in a news release.

• "I've relished every one of her books and characters as well as her friendship. Now we're joining our experiences to explore the complex world of high stakes diplomacy and treachery. All is not as it first appears."