Star Wars - Cloak of Deception (May 29, 2001)

I listened to this book as an audio and abridged title. Basically, the most important thing in the book is the ploy of Palpatine/Sidioius to manipulated Valorum, the Trade Federation, etc. leading into the events of Episode I. Here is the plot summary from wookieepedia.

Cloak of Deception is told in four parts: Dorvalla, Coruscant, The Outlying Systems, and The Inner Circle.
Shortly before the Battle of Naboo (33 BBY), Darth Sidious is in the middle of his plans. As Senator Palpatine, he manipulates Supreme Chancellor Valorum and other senators. As the Sith Master, he begins to slowly put the Neimoidians and the Trade Federation in position for his blockade of Naboo.
A terrorist group known as the Nebula Front threatens the activities of the Trade Federation. They are protesting the actions of the group and will resort to any means necessary to disrupt the Trade Federation. They have hired Captain Arwen Cohl to carry out terrorist acts against their business, including robbing a Trade Federation ship of aurodium ingots, worth billions in orbit of the planet Dorvalla. However, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are hot on the trail of the terrorists. Though Cohl escapes, he is forced to crash-land and all but him and two of his crew members, Rella and Boiny, perish. He later flees in his ship, the Hawk-Bat.
Fearing more trouble, the Trade Federation petitions the Galactic Senate to allow them to increase their number of droid fighters, battle droids, and other defenses. Valorum considers this, but only if he can tax some of the trade routes they hold (on advice from Palpatine). This sparks a debate and a summit on Eriadu is scheduled to be held on the matter.
Taking extreme measures, the Nebula Front sets plans in motion to assassinate Supreme Chancellor Valorum at the summit to prevent the taxation. Cohl has been hired by a mysterious being known only as Havac. He travels throughout the Outer Rim, hiring several experienced assassins. Unknown to him however, Havac (secretly in league with Darth Sidious) has another plan. Meanwhile, the Jedi Council, along with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, steps in to track down Captain Cohl and the would-be assassins.
On Eriadu, Cohl dispatches his helpers throughout the capital city. He is ambushed by Havac after realizing the true target. Most of the assassins are captured by the Jedi outside the summit building, but one remains inside. A sniper, he has been given the order to fire at, but miss, Valorum. The Jedi find Cohl and his partner Boiny, who, wounded, agrees to help them. They discover the sniper a second too late, but are surprised when he misses Valorum. Then Cohl remembers the true intent of Havac: to assassinate the Trade Federation Directorate. Cohl tackles Havac and kills him, though he and Boiny are mortally wounded in the attempt. Suddenly, the battle droid rises and draws its blaster. With a shield activated for safety, the members of the Trade Federation are trapped. The droid kills them all while the crowd watches, stunned. The only survivors were the Neimoidian members, who were away to their ship which had been tampered with. In the ensuing shock, the bill to tax is passed by the Senate. Later, the leading members of the Federation are named. They are all Neimoidians. Darth Sidious later meets Nute Gunray on the bridge of his ship, suggesting they invade Naboo for revenge against Palpatine, who helped pass the bill. Little do they know that it is just part of the Sith Lord's plan for control of the galaxy.