About the Book
K Street Killing (Washington Whodunit)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Washington D.C.
Camel Press (July 15, 2018)
Paperback: 242 pages
ISBN-10: 1603816135
ISBN-13: 978-1603816137
It’s the height of campaign season, and instead of relishing newlywed bliss with her husband Doug Hollingsworth, Capitol Hill staffer Kit Marshall is busy with a tough reelection fight for her boss, member of Congress Maeve Dixon. Before Maeve and her staff–Kit included–leave Washington, D.C. to campaign full time in North Carolina, they have one last fundraising engagement.
On the iconic rooftop of a restaurant overlooking the Capitol and the Washington monument, Kit and her best pal Meg do their best to woo wealthy lobbyists for sizable campaign donations. Everyone’s enjoying the evening soiree until a powerful K Street tycoon mysteriously tumbles off the rooftop. Even with claims, the fall must be suicide, Detective Maggie Glass and Kit aren’t so easily convinced foul play isn’t at work. While balancing Doug’s mid-life career crisis, Kit must spring into action to discover who killed the notorious Van Parker before Dixon’s candidacy sputters, even if it means investigating Meg’s handsome new beau, the victim’s conniving widow, and a bicycle advocate hell-bent on settling a long-standing grudge. When a threatening note is left on Kit’s car, warning her to back off the investigation, she knows she’s closing in on the true story of what happened.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Things in Washington D.C. these days are crazier than ever so there is no more perfect time for author Colleen J. Shogan to take us behind the scenes right before an election and to a fundraiser attended by a bunch of wealthy lobbyists held on the rooftop with a spectacular view. Congresswoman Maeve Dixon is on the committee in charge of the big transportation bill and lobbyists for trucks, trains, and yes, even bicycles want to speak to her so that they get want they want included in the bill. That’s why that have made generous donations to her campaign to attend this dinner.
The candidate has to leave early for one last vote on the hill before she heads home to campaign. She leaves Kit Marshall, her chief of staff, and her best friend Meg to stay at the event to entice the guests to give more to the campaign. Kit decides to sneak out early and when she reaches the street outside she hears screams and rushes to see what happened. It appears that one of the lobbyists has taken a nosedive from the rooftop locale. Everyone immediately thinks suicide, except for Kit and Detective Maggie Glass. They think it is murder. Everyone still at the party becomes a suspect and Meg and Kit are stuck in D.C. instead of following their boss to North Carolina. This death could send the congresswoman’s campaign into a tailspin. Kit finds herself again up to her eyeballs in a murder investigation. If the threatening note she finds on her car is any indication she is on the right track.
Newlywed Kit Marshall is a smart protagonist that doesn’t back down to a challenge and in this story, she has her hands full. A reelection campaign, a murder investigation, and a husband that has just been offered a plum job, but it is not in Washington. She keeps putting her husband off for the time being because if her boss doesn’t win reelection she will need to find a new job. She has never thought about a job outside the beltway. Right now, who pushed Van Parker to his death is her number one priority. I really enjoyed myself following along with her every step of the way. When it is time for the big killer reveal, Kit handles it in a truly classic way.
Ms. Shogan has written another fantastic story that is hard to put down. The characters are well developed and the plot is edgy with plenty of twists. The character’s dialogue is believable and at times pretty funny. We get a wonderful peek at the life of a congressional staffer. Her descriptive writing style brings Washington D.C. to life, from the rooftop restaurant to the congressional office and everything in between.
While this is the 4th book in the series, it can easily be read on its own. Of course, to really get to know Kit Marshall you have to start at the beginning.
About the Author
Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. She conceived of the plot of her first mystery one morning while taking a walk in her suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood. A political scientist, she previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as the Deputy Director of the Congressional Research Service. She is currently a senior executive at the Library of Congress who works on great initiatives such as the National Book Festival. Colleen lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan. She is the recipient of the Next Generation Indie Prize for Best Mystery.
Author Links – Webpage – Facebook – Twitter – GoodReads
Praise for K Street Killing (Washington Whodunit)
by Colleen Shogan
I enjoyed the references to Agatha Christie’s mysteries and her various sleuths. I can see where the author obtained her inspiration for the crime in K Street Killing . . .
~The Avid Reader
It was interesting how they solve the murder, putting everything together to uncover what really happened and discover the truth . . .
~Varietats
For me, the strength of K Street Killing is the glimpse we get into the world of political lobbyists. The author has considerable personal experience in Washington, which gives authenticity to all that goes on and the characters have a realistic feel.
~The Power of Words
Kit and Meg are unstoppable amateur sleuths who refuse to be turned aside in their pursuit of justice.
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies
The characters are well-developed and jump right off the pages. The author’s descriptions of Washington are very vivid and transported me right into the center of DC without ever leaving my seat.
~Socrates’ Book Reviews…
I love reading about the world of politics and Shogun does a good job of letting the reader see this world of competition and negotiation.
~Teresa Trent, Author
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
As Tyrone Power says to Captain Henry Morgan in THE BLACK SWAN, “You can’t go wrong drowning politicians, Henry.”
Washington DC is a great setting.
Thank you for reviewing my book!!
Would love the opportunity to read “K Street Killing” by Colleen Shogan. Thanks for the review and information, which makes me want to read it even more.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
What an intriguing book! Thanks for sharing.