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Reporting from Washington — For weeks this fall, an ebullient President Trump traveled relentlessly to hold raise-the-rafters campaign rallies — sometimes three a day — in states where his presence was likely to help Republicans on the ballot.

But his mood apparently has changed as he has taken measure of the electoral backlash that voters delivered Nov. 6. With the certainty that the incoming Democratic House majority will go after his tax returns and investigate his actions, and the likelihood of additional indictments by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, Trump has retreated into a cocoon of bitterness and resentment, according to multiple administration sources.

Behind the scenes, they say, the president has lashed out at several aides, from junior press assistants to senior officials. “He’s furious,” said one administration official. “Most staffers are trying to avoid him.”

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, painted a picture of a brooding president “trying to decide who to blame” for Republicans’ election losses, even as he publicly and implausibly continues to claim victory.

White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and Kirstjen Nielsen, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who are close allies, “seem to be on their way out,” the official said, noting recent leaks on the subject. The official cautioned, however, that personnel decisions are never final until Trump himself tweets out the news — often just after the former reality TV star who’s famous for saying “You’re fired!” has directed Kelly to so inform the individual.

And, according to a source outside the White House who has spoken recently with the president, last week’s Wall Street Journal report confirming Trump’s central role during the 2016 campaign in quietly arranging payoffs for two women alleging affairs with him seemed to put him in an even worse mood.

Publicly, Trump has been increasingly absent in recent days — except on Twitter. He has canceled travel plans and dispatched Cabinet officials and aides to events in his place — including sending Vice President Mike Pence to Asia for the annual summits there in November that past presidents nearly always attended.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II was in Washington on Tuesday and met with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, but not the president.

Also Tuesday, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis announced plans to travel on Wednesday near the U.S.-Mexico border to visit with troops Trump ordered there last month in what is ostensibly a mission to defend against a caravan of Central American migrants moving through Mexico and still hundreds of miles from the United States.

Trump had reportedly considered making that trip himself, but has decided against it. Nor has he spoken of the caravan since the midterm elections, after making it a central issue in his last weeks of campaigning.

Unusually early on Monday, the White House called a “lid” at 10:03 a.m. EST, informing reporters that the president would not have any scheduled activities or public appearances for the rest of the day. Although it was Veterans Day, Trump bucked tradition and opted not to make the two-mile trip to Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as presidents since at least John F. Kennedy have done to mark the solemn holiday.

FULL COVERAGE: The latest on the Trump administration and the rest of Washington »

Trump’s only public appearance Tuesday was at a short White House ceremony marking the start of the Hindu holiday Diwali at which he made brief comments and left without responding to shouted questions.

He had just returned Sunday night from a two-day trip to France to attend ceremonies marking the centennial of the armistice that ended World War I. That trip was overshadowed, in part, by Trump’s decision not to attend a wreath-laying at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, the burial place for 2,289 soldiers 60 miles northeast of Paris, due to rain.

Kelly, a former Marine Corps general, and Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did attend to honor the American service members interred there. Trump stayed in the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Paris, making no public appearances.

Other heads of state also managed to make it to World War I cemeteries in the area for tributes to their nations’ war dead on Saturday.

Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin were the only world leaders to skip a procession of world leaders to another commemoration, on Sunday, at the Arc de Triomphe. About 80 heads of state walked in unison — under umbrellas in the pouring rain — down Paris’ grand Champs-Elysees boulevard. Trump arrived later by motorcade, a decision aides claimed was made for security reasons.

Nicholas Burns, the former U.S. ambassador to NATO under George W. Bush, said the weekend events, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of a war in which 120,000 Americans were killed, were ripe for soaring words and symbolic gestures, which Trump failed to provide.

“Not only did he barely show up, he didn’t say anything that would help Americans understand the scale of the loss, or the importance of avoiding another great war,” Burns said. “He seemed physically and emotionally apart. It’s such a striking difference between the enthusiasm he showed during the campaign and then going to Paris and sulking in his hotel room.”

He added, “The country deserves more energy from the president.”

Trump took heavy flak on social media, especially for his no-show at the military cemetery.

“President @realDonaldTrump a no-show because of raindrops?” tweeted former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, a Navy veteran. “Those veterans the president didn’t bother to honor fought in the rain, in the mud, in the snow – & many died in trenches for the cause of freedom. Rain didn’t stop them & it shouldn’t have stopped an American president.”

Nicholas Soames, a member of Britain’s Parliament and grandson of Winston Churchill, tweeted, “They died with their face to the foe and that pathetic inadequate @realDonaldTrump couldn’t even defy the weather to pay his respects to The Fallen.”

Trump, clearly feeling on the defensive days later, tried to explain himself on Tuesday, in a tweet.

“By the way, when the helicopter couldn’t fly to the first cemetery in France because of almost zero visibility, I suggested driving,” he wrote. “Secret Service said NO, too far from airport & big Paris shutdown. Speech next day at American Cemetary [sic] in pouring rain! Little reported-Fake News!”

In that tweet, Trump falsely described the weather at the Sunday visit to another U.S. cemetery. Rather than “pouring rain,” photos showed him standing without a hat or an umbrella under overcast skies when he delivered remarks, though he did grasp an umbrella at one point while paying tribute at one soldier’s grave.

Just as Trump was returning to Washington on Sunday evening, Pence was heading to Asia in the president’s place, and at his first stop greeted Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Trump’s absence, experts said, is notable, and a glaring affront to many Asian leaders.

“It matters more in Asia than other regions because ‘face’ is so important,” said Matthew P. Goodman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former White House coordinator for Asia-Pacific strategy during the Obama and George W. Bush administrations. “Your willingness to go out there is a sign you’re committed and not going is a sign you’re not.”

Putin is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, looking to expand his country’s influence in Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea are also attending regional summits. And China’s President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang are simultaneously attending meetings across the region looking to broaden their country’s influence in the South China Sea and expand multilateral trade agreements.

Although Trump is set to meet with Xi at the Group of 20 summit of wealthy countries this month in Buenos Aires, his absence from the major Indo-Pacific meetings for a second straight year will “have some consequences for our position and our interests in the region,” Goodman continued. “Other countries are going to move ahead without us.”

What makes Trump’s perceived snub to the Asian powers more significant is that it comes on the heels of his brief European trip, which showcased his growing isolation from transatlantic allies. French President Emmanuel Macron rebuked Trump in a speech, stating that “nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism” as the U.S. president looked on sullenly.

Trump’s relations with Latin America, already strained, are little better after the White House last week announced that he was reneging for a second time on a commitment to visit Colombia. He had planned to go there later this month on his way back from the G-20 meetings.

In April, he’d sent Pence in his place to the Summit of the Americas in Peru, citing a need to remain in Washington to monitor the U.S. response to a chemical weapons attack in Syria. He’d planned to visit Bogota on the same trip.

This time around, there appeared to be no extenuating circumstances preventing a visit.

In a statement, the White House simply said, “President Trump’s schedule will not allow him to travel to Colombia later this month.”

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Nelson Mandela’s grandson Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela narrates the story of Amira Mohamed Mousa Hassaan, a Palestinian mother who used to plan weddings in Gaza before Israel’s war destroyed her home, her livelihood and her mental health.

Forget The Salt Path scandal! Daily Mirror’s book expert Jessica Boulton picks the best new Chick Lit, Thrillers, Family Sagas and Murder Mysteries which deserve the space on your Kindle this summer

Plane tickets? Check. Swimwear? Check. The patience of a saint to get through airport security? Check. Yes, if you’re planning the perfect summer holiday, there’s only one other thing you need: A jolly good book. For when you’ve smugly beaten other hotel guests to a sunbed, there’s little more relaxing than a great page turner. So what new tomes deserve the precious space on your Kindle or a spot in your suitcase? Here, columnist Jessica Boulton takes you through the best of this summer’s new releases – whether you’ve a soft spot for romance, a love for crimes of passion, or prefer your beach reads bloodier than a tomato juice and vodka….

ROMANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS

The Layover, Beth Reekles, Sphere, Out Now

From the author of Netflix’s The Kissing Booth comes an enemies-to-lovers-style romp set in that favourite of romcom scenarios: The destination wedding, Three unhappy singletons are en route to the ‘wedding of the year’ – and they’re all dreading it: One’s in love with the groom, one’s the overprotective brother of the bride and the other is a maid of honour fed up of playing second fiddle. So when fate convenes to strand all three at an airport bar overnight, they get to talking, drinking and….plotting….

Problematic Summer Romance, Ali Hazelwood, Sphere, Out Now.

The bestselling chicklit author Ali Hazelwood has become quite the talking point on social media and so-called ‘book tok’ thanks to her novel spin on romance tropes. Released on late May, her latest book puts Gen Z values under the microscope as Maya, 23, falls for her brother’s much older – and much richer – best friend. Everyone, including him, says a romance would be problematic. But when the two are forced to spend a week sharing a remote Italian villa at her brother’s wedding, Maya decides it’s time to ignore the red flags and follow her heart, not her head. Will she prove the naysayers wrong?

Paper Heart, Cecelia Ahern, HarperCollins, Out August 28

One of the biggest names in the genre, Cecelia Ahern was the bestselling author behind the weepy-but-ultimately-uplifting romance PS. I Love You, which later became a 2007 hit film with Anne Hathaway and Gerard Butler. Cecelia’s latest paperback release centres on wallflower Pip, who has been hiding from life, living a sheltered existence, until the stars – or rather an attractive local astronomer – opens her eyes to the world…

The Man I Loved Before, Georgina Cutler, Black & White Publishing, Out August 7

Get the tissues ready! This romance comes with a side serving of trauma. When Jenny loses the love of her life, Joe, in a freak accident, she thinks she will never recover. That is until…. she begins seeing Joe’s ghost. There’s only one thing wrong with their renewed relationship: He’s a little less solid than before. When Jen meets the infuriating new guy, Luca, who’s moved into Joe’s old flat, she takes an instant dislike to him. But slowly and surely he reminds her what it means to have fun. However the more Jen sees Luca, the less she sees Joe. So who will she choose?

Body Count, Julie Mae Cohen, Zaffre, Out August 14.

A chick-lit romance where the heroine is a serial murderer? Talk about a killer concept. Sure to be a hit with fans of Sky’s Sweetpea, this twisted tale, from an author whose sold a million books, centres on Saffy Huntley-Oliver, a millennial who’s fallen for a brilliant true crime podcaster Jonathan. There’s just one complication in their romance. Saffy’s got a secret passion project – killing men. Bad men. Like a a certain handsy children’s TV star….So will Saffy’s hobby be the nail in the coffin for their romance? Or can they love each other til death do they part? It may depend on whose death we mean.

MURDER MYSTERY

A Novel Murder, E.C. Nevin, Zaffre, out now

Where better to set a crime novel than at a crime writers’ convention? A Novel Murder’s delightfully-playful premise sees aspiring author Jane Hepburn joining big-name name authors at a quaint town’s festival, to try to get her big break. But when her literary agent turns up dead, Jane fears the writing’s on the wall for her career…..unless she can help police find the killer – and throw the book at him.

A Deadly Night At The Theatre, Katy Watson, Constable

Posy Starling, Caro Hooper and Rosalind King are some of TV and the West End’s finest actresses. Yet not only have they all played the same fictional detective – TV’s Dahlia Lively – but they’ve all let the role go a little to their heads.. The fifth standalone story in the Three Dahlias series, this Agatha Christie-style mystery sees the women once more forced to turn Sherlock for real after Caro’s hunky west end co-star is found dead in a theatre dressing room – with a blood-drenched Posy[italic] standing over him. Will her fellow Dahlias believe her claims of innocence before the real killer enjoys an encore?

Game, Set & Murder, Judy Murray, Orion, released July 3

Think Sex And The City meets Desperate Housewives on a day out at Wimbledon…Yes, Judy Murray is back with her second murder mystery, once again set in the world of tennis. This time, close friends Kristin, Vee, Bibi and Hailey are sipping prosecco at Surrey’s posh Royal Oaks Tennis Club, when their charming coach Jeremy keels over – thanks to some poisoned sponge cake.

Soon it’s clear: one of these glamourous women had the balls to catch out their coach. But who served him his just deserts? And what other backhanded shenanigans are happening at the exclusive club?

The Magus of Sicily, Philip Gwynne Jones, Constable, out now

A murder mystery in sun-drenched Sicily? Characters who all have something to hide? And a lingering sense of unease? If this book isn’t popular with fans of The White Lotus, something is definitely awry. This sumptuously-set mystery begins with trainee journalist Nedda Leonardi desperately trying to find a scoop at a local town festival. But she gets a splash in more ways than one when local dancers dive in the glistening Ionian Sea… and return with a corpse. Nedda’s soon out of her depth but finds an unlikely partner-in-solving[ital]-crime – a retired grifter, trying to leave his con man past behind until he becomes a suspect. Together, the oddball pair set out to uncover the real story.

ACTION THRILLER

The Daughter, T. M. Logan, Zaffre, out this month in paperback

A mum’s worst nightmare: Lauren goes to pick her daughter up from university, knocks on her door and comes face to face…with a stranger. At first, she presumes she has the wrong room but then she realises the terrible truth. Her daughter Evie is not there. And she hasn’t been for a long time. The discovery sparks a heart-in-mouth race to uncover what’s happened before it’s too late. If, indeed, it’s not too late already.

Deadline, Steph McGovern, Macmillan, was released July 3

Following her years hosting Steph’s Packed Lunch and a stint in the Costa Rican jungle on Bear Grylls’ Bear Hunt, the former BBC broadcaster is now onto her third act – as a novelist. Her debut tome is set in a familiar world but the premise is still deliciously tantalising: a TV host is just about to go live, interviewing the most powerful man in the country, when she gets a message through her earpiece. Kidnappers have taken her family. Now she must do exactly what they say, on Live TV, if she ever wants to see them again.

Death of An Officer, Mark Ellis, Headline Accent, Out Now

Prefer your thrillers with a period era twist? Mark Ellis has released the latest is his Frank Merlin detective series, set in the shadowy world of wartime London 1943. A local murder sparks an investigation into a wide-scoping mystery featuring the disappearance of a US officer in possession of invasion plans, dodgy MPs, even dodgier police and a seedy underworld of Cockney gangsters, brothels and blackmail.

DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL

Dear Future Me, Deborah O’Connor, Zaffre, out now

Talk about an intriguing set-up: this psychological thriller begins in 2005 as a group of students each writes a letter to their future selves, sharing their fears, dreams, mistakes and heartaches. Of course, they should have known better. For unlike the contents of a normal time capsule, these students’ secrets don’t stay buried for long. Two decades on, their private notes begin dropping through their letterboxes – and the unearthed truths begin to change their lives for ever.

These Summer Storms, Sarah Maclean, Ballantine Books, released this week

Missing Succession? Loved Amazon’s adaptation of We Were Liars? Then this should be the perfect lazy day read. Alice Storm is the surprisingly-grounded daughter of an eccentric billionaire tech genius. But when he dies suddenly, she forced to return to the family’s private island off the coast of New England – with some of the oddest, most dysfunctional and competitive people she knows: her siblings. Then there’s the biggest surprise: Alice’s puppet master father has left his children one last test. To receive their inheritance they must spend a week on the island completing a list of very specific challenges….

What’s you beach read recommendation? Share in comment or message me on Instagram/X @JessicaBoulton