Elimination

May 11, 2015
In Gorman’s intriguing fifth Dev Conrad mystery (after 2013’s Flashpoint), three shots are fired at congresswoman Jessica Bradshaw, who’s running for reelection, after she leaves a TV debate in Danton, Ill., where she faced off against her opponent, Trent Dorsey, a caricature of the right-wing rabble-rouser. The shots miss, and the would-be assassin escapes. A standard-model modern liberal who’s embarrassed by her personal wealth, Bradshaw is doing well in the polls, but her imperious and ambitious husband, Ted, could be a liability. In addition, the fragile health of their daughter, Katherine, is a worry. The discovery of the shotgun used in the shooting in a Bradshaw staffer’s car trunk suggests the incident was staged. Conrad, Bradshaw’s political adviser, determines to track down the guilty party. Readers of all political stripes will have as much fun following the maneuverings of Bradshaw’s and Dorsey’s respective campaigns as trying to figure out whodunit. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency.

May 1, 2015
Illinois Congresswoman Jessica Bradshaw is beautiful, rich, progressive. She is nearing the end of a fang-and-claw reelection battle with an opponent who represents the forces of darkness in Gorman's cosmology. Michael Dorsey waves the flag, hates abortion, loves guns. And he is gaining in the polls. During their final debate, somebody fires a shotgun blast at Jessica. She is not hurt, but the shooter escapes, and theories bloom. Must be a Dorsey backer; they're murderous crazies. Wait a minute. Suppose Jessica's gang did it, missing her on purpose and assuming the blame will automatically fall on one of Dorsey's gun nuts. Dev Conrad, the novel's narrator, is Jessica's political consultant- turned-detective, seeking the truth in this hall of mirrors. Inevitably, there's another layer: right-wing groups united in their hatred of blacks and the federal government. And they're attracting police officers. Gorman tells his story in a style both expert and weary, knowing that sometimes the darkest deeds have their origin in hurt feelings. He knows, too, that often the best the good guys can do is hang on. Give this one to fans of the great Ross Thomas, whose political fixers were equally savvy and equally weary.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)