by Mike Lawson
First published 2009
A bomb targets the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. A private plane races toward the White House before getting shot down. Fear grips the nation as politicians debate sweeping measures against Muslim Americans. House Speaker John Mahoney has a problem. He's connected to one of the attackers, and he needs that link buried. Mahoney calls Joe DeMarco, his personal fixer, to investigate the attacks quietly. DeMarco plunges into a world where mobsters and meth dealers cross paths with Washington's power brokers. He must uncover the truth behind the terrorist plots while protecting his volatile boss from scandal. The Speaker's charismatic yet demanding nature puts pressure on DeMarco as a senator's controversial bill gains momentum in Congress. DeMarco navigates the dangerous intersection of crime and politics, where every move could expose secrets that powerful people want hidden.
Genres: mystery, crime, action, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Baltimore, Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, Washington, White House
Period: 21st-century
400 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Grove Press
Content warnings: violence