Publication Nov. 29, 2022
This one brought back some memories. I once chaperoned a class trip to Washington DC. The itinerary they followed even sounded familiar and brought back some pleasant memories. Fortunately, my trip didn't include murder. Also, unlike Maya and Sandra, I never got any closer to the White House than the fence outside but, hey, the door was open and I got a distant picture looking inside. In any case, back to the book...
What starts as a case of reluctant chaperoning of their children's much anticipated class trip to DC ends up with murder, political intrigue and posturing, and the involvement of the FBI. Hardly a relaxing vacation for Maya and Sandra. True, Sandra is an ol' pro at navigating Washington DC having been married to Senator Wallage for some two decades, but divorce is coming soon and she's unsure whether to trust Stephan after he lied and cheated on her. She sees something different in him this time, however, when he claims innocence and asks for their investigative help. She's even wavering a bit on that divorce but, well, first they have a murder and some political intrigue, lies and innuendo to deal with. Maya finds her competitive self riled by two female FBI agents, adding to the fun. Oh, and they do get an invite to a White house event thanks to Sandra's longstanding connections and likeability.
There's humor in the book, some of it due to the images bus driver Clancy's driving conjures up in one's mind. If you've ever ridden in a school bus, which most of us have, imagine doing it while past-retirement-age Clancy abruptly abandons his slow-poke ways to help Maya and Sandra chase down a wayward student by speeding up and dodging DC traffic, slamming on the brakes and hitting the gas with seeming glee. He gets his student, however, one who becomes a suspect in the murder of Sen. Wallage's assistant, Tess. That's just the beginning.
Who killed Tess? Is Sen. Wallage telling the truth? Why was Tess where she was found? And, how about Sen. Grisby? Could he have killed or had Tess killed for political gain? How about his son, Kyle? Where did he get those incriminating emails? How far would ambitious reporter Zoe go for a story that would make her career? Why is Preston so, uh, difficult? Could the likable Suzanne have been involved? How about the now ex-girlfriend? Surely not but, well, there is evidence that.....
Oh, enough teasers. Read this book. You won't regret it. It's a quick, easy read whose short chapters just seemed to fly by. My only quibble with the book, which I devoured in one day, is that things seemed a tad too easy. Evidence was easily found with the right help and, no, I don't mean the FBI. Maya and Sandra are both likable and I definitely liked the growth of their friendship over this series. They work together, trusting and using each others strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Sandra is great at the good cop routine but, oh, such a softie, whereas Maya is, well, Maya. Stern, abrupt, and able to use the people and scene reading skills honed during her years on the police force. Both have interesting and evolving relationships going on. Will that be good or bad? Dang it, I'm ready for the next book, Lee Hollis, though the end left me hopeful.
Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonPress. I enjoyed the tour of DC, especially the basement tour of Ford's Theater. I wonder where I stashed all those photos.
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