This novel in Mike Lawson's critically acclaimed series takes political fixer Joe DeMarco to New York for behind-the-scenes work on a high-stakes murder case as the witnesses start to decamp one by one.In House Witness, the expertly plotted twelfth novel in this critically acclaimed series, Mike Lawson puts his likable protagonist on the trail of a different kind of fixer-one whose job is to inject reasonable doubt into seemingly air-tight criminal cases.Minority Leader of the House and Joe DeMarco's longtime employer John Mahoney has kept more than one secret from his wife over the years but none so explosive as this: He has a son, and that son has just been shot dead in a bar in Manhattan. Mahoney immediately dispatches DeMarco to his native New York to provide prosecutor Justine Porter with any assistance necessary, but with five bystanders willing to testify against rich boy Toby Rosenthal, the case seems like a slam dunk-that is, until Porter begins to suspect that someone is interfering with those witnesses and that this may be connected to a pattern of cases across the country. Could someone be helping to get witnesses out of the way when the fate of a wealthy defendant is on the line? With the help of Porter's intern, as outrageously smart as she is young, DeMarco becomes determined to follow that question through to its violent resolution in what turns out to be Joe DeMarco's most unexpected adventure yet.
The ninth installment in Mike Lawson’s Washington, DC, political thriller series takes listeners back into Joe DeMarco’s past—to the murder of his father, which was never investigated, let alone solved.
DeMarco always knew that his father Gino had a shady job for a local mafioso, but he didn’t understand that Gino had been a hit man until he was murdered. Now, nearly twenty years later, one of Gino’s former mob associates is dying of lung cancer, and he wants to get something off his chest before retiring to his grave: the truth about Gino’s killer. The shocking information, and the powerful position the killer now occupies, sends DeMarco on a mission of revenge with terrible consequences. Now that the secret has been kept for so long, DeMarco has to rush to do something about it because the killer is on the brink of taking a job in Washington, DC, that will leave him untouchable.
With his job, his morals, and his very life on the line, DeMarco must ask himself: How far will he go for revenge?
“A compelling story of vengeance. Lawson is a gifted master.”—Rick Mofina, bestselling author of Whirlwind
Mike Lawson’s previous novels starring Joe DeMarco, fixed for the Speaker of the House, have earned him a loyal following from thriller aficionados and a place among the most talented and captivating thriller writers focusing on the dangerous games of our nation’s capital.
In House Secrets, DeMarco is sent to investigate the death of a reporter, the son of one of his boss’ old colleagues, even though it appears to be nothing more than an unfortunate accident. He soon learns that the reporter was on the trail of Senator Paul Morelli, a rising star considered a shoe-in for his party’s presidential nomination. Some politicians are lucky, and Morelli has been luckier than most, but his past has already been thoroughly scrutinized and he looks clean. But then, why is DeMarco being followed by a pair of rogue agents who freelance for the CIA?
Dirty secrets, beltway politics, and divided loyalties threaten as DeMarco’s investigation spirals dangerously out of control. Filled with surprising twists, a captivating plot, and excellent characters both old and new, House Secrets is Lawson’s best book yet.
“In Lawson’s excellent fourth Washington thriller to feature Joe DeMarco…the action builds to a stunning final twist.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
House Divided is inspired and compelling, a strong addition to this celebrated series.
When the National Security Agency is caught wiretapping US citizens without the proper warrants, a political scandal erupts, and the secret program comes to a screeching halt. But Dillon Crane, the NSA genius who spearheaded the most sophisticated eavesdropping operation in history, isn't about to sit idly by while spineless politicians sleepwalk the country into another 9/11'and Crane cleverly moves his illegal eavesdropping program into the shadows.
But operating in the shadows can cause complications. When the NSA illegally records what appears to be a rogue military group killing two American citizens, Crane can't simply walk over to the Pentagon and ask what's going on'and before long, the largest intelligence agency in the country is locked into a deadly battle with a four-star army general who is just as capable and just as committed as Dillon Crane.
Caught in the middle of all this is Joe DeMarco. One of the civilians killed was his cousin, and all DeMarco is trying to do is bury the poor guy and settle his estate'but DeMarco soon finds himself being used as a sacrificial pawn in a lethal game between a master spy and a powerful general. Although a man with many flaws, DeMarco ultimately decides that he's not going to be anyone's pawn, no matter how powerful his opponents may be.
'Lawson's House Divided is a nonstop thrill ride. The author has created a disturbingly real Washington, DC, and peopled it with eerily familiar characters. He writes with wit and verve and displays a shrewd understanding of bureaucratic irony. Thoroughly enjoyable. The political thriller of the year.''John Lutz, New York Times bestselling author
"The video begins with the President walking toward a marine helicopter . . ."
From a bluff overlooking Georgia's untamed Chattooga River, an assassin fires three shots. The President of the United States is wounded; his best friend and a Secret Service agent are killed. Two days later, a man in Landover, Maryland, commits suicide and in the man's home is overwhelming evidence that he was responsible for the assassination attempt.
General Andy Banks, the Secretary of Homeland Security, is nursing a guilty conscience. Only days before the assassination attempt on the President, Banks had received a note with a dire warning: "Eagle One is in danger. Cancel Chattooga River. The inside ring has been compromised. This is not a joke." The message-on Secret Service stationery-was signed "An agent in the wrong place." Banks immediately passed the note on to Secret Service Director Patrick Donnelly, who proceeded to ignore it.
Even after the assassin is found dead, Banks is determined to dig a little deeper. He turns to Speaker of the House John Fitzgerald Mahoney. The Speaker has a guy-an under-the-radar, go-to guy he uses for things like this-things he can't afford to have connected to his office. The guy is Joe DeMarco, an honest lawyer with a sordid family history.
After one meeting with Banks, DeMarco realizes he's in way over his head. But Mahoney finds the prospect of taking down Donnelly irresistible and sets DeMarco on a trail that twists through the Secret Service, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security and snakes all the way back to one of the more enduring mysteries of the twentieth century.
Brimming with suspense, authenticity, and wit, The Inside Ring marks the debut of a major new talent and introduces a cast of intriguing characters with many more cases ahead.
Washington fixer Joe DeMarco has been asked to handle a lot of difficult situations over the years for his boss, Congressman John Mahoney. But nothing has ever been quite so politically sensitive, or has hit so close to home, as the task Mahoney hands DeMarco in House Odds, the latest novel from critically acclaimed thriller writer Mike Lawson.
Mahoney’s daughter, Molly, has been arrested and charged with insider trading. An engineer with a high-flying technology firm, she allegedly placed a half-million-dollar bet on one of the firm’s clients. DeMarco’s job is to clear Molly’s name and keep his boss clean. But how did Molly get her hands on so much money to invest in the first place? Before long, DeMarco discovers that there’s far more to Molly’s case than meets the eye, and the risk to Mahoney is more than just a little political embarrassment. Featuring an extensive cast of mobsters and politicians, House Odds is a gripping tale of high-stakes scheming from one of today’s best political thriller writers.
“House Odds gives you a look at the sordid underbelly of Washington politics where you will meet crooked politicians, evil gangsters, and violent fixers mixed into a clever, original, fast-moving, and unpredictable plot. Enjoy.”—Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author
With his series of thrillers starring congressional fixer Joe DeMarco, Mike Lawson has earned a reputation as a master of political intrigue and one of the best writers focusing on the behind-the-scenes action of our nation's capital. In House Blood, Lawson introduces us to Orson Mulray, CEO of Mulray Pharma, a cold and calculating man obsessed with profit and prestige. Mulray believes he has discovered a drug that could prevent a previously incurable disease. It could be the salvation of millions of people and earn him billions of dollars. But the drug needs to be tested on human subjects, and Mulray needs more than blood samples-he needs autopsy results.
When DeMarco is asked to look into the murder conviction of a lobbyist, he has other worries on his mind: his boss is no longer Speaker, his girlfriend has left him, and his friend Emma may be dying. DeMarco doesn't expect to free the lobbyist-much less become the target of two of the most callous killers he and Emma have ever encountered.
The seventh book in this celebrated series is a rollicking ride to Uganda, Peru, and beyond. Lawson expertly commands Washington politics, mercenaries, and the pharmaceutical industry for a juicy story full of lifelike characters and thrilling action.
"A what-happens-next, edge-of-your-seat thriller, told with the author's clear prose and storytelling skills. I know that Mike Lawson has methodically grown a loyal base of fans, but I think that his consistent excellence needs to be more universally acknowledged. This is a very ambitious book, and I'm hopeful it will be the one that propels him into bestsellerdom. He certainly deserves it, and his publisher does as well."-Deadly Pleasures
When an American defense contractor goes to Iran to sell missile technology, the CIA knows all about it, thanks to a spy in Tehran. But when the story is leaked to an ambitious journalist, the spy is burned, brutally tortured, and executed. The director of the CIA isn’t about to let the callous sacrifice of his valuable spy go unpunished.
Joe DeMarco’s boss, Speaker of the House John Fitzpatrick Mahoney, has his own reasons to get to the bottom of the leak. He once had a fling with the journalist, and now that she’s in jail for refusing to reveal her source, she is threatening to tell all unless he helps get her out.
DeMarco and the CIA aren’t the only ones looking for the source of the leak, either. Someone else wants to avenge the spy’s death, and is tailing DeMarco, hoping he’ll lead him to his prey.
This latest Joe DeMarco thriller is classic Mike Lawson, featuring fascinating characters, inside-the-beltway intrigue, and a gripping plot packed with surprises.
“Engaging…The always present push and pull between the political machinations of alcoholic, egotistical Mahoney and DeMarco’s basic decency raises the ethical stakes.”—Publishers Weekly
In the eleventh novel in Mike Lawson's bestselling series, Joe DeMarco helps an elderly woman threatened by a shady real estate developer, then seeks revenge.
In House Revenge, congressional fixer Joe DeMarco is dispatched to congressman John Mahoney's hometown of Boston. Mahoney wants him to help Elinore Dobbs, an elderly woman fighting against a real estate developer intent on tearing down her apartment building for a massive new development. Mahoney is just in it for the free press until Sean Callahan, the developer, disrespects him, and Elinore suffers a horrible "accident," likely at the hands of two thugs on Callahan's payroll. Now Mahoney and DeMarco are out for revenge. DeMarco tries to dig up dirt through Callahan's former mentor, along with one of his ex-wives. But when DeMarco gets a tip on the likely illegal source of some of Callahan's financing, the investigation turns deadly.
A fast-paced adventure into the cutthroat world behind the wrecking ball, House Revenge is another gripping tale of collusion and corruption from a beloved political thriller writer.
From bestselling author Mike Lawson comes the latest installment in the award-winning Joe DeMarco series.
As a fixer for influential congressman John Mahoney in Washington, DC, Joe DeMarco has found himself in plenty of unexpected and dangerous situations. In House Rivals, DeMarco is taken further out of his element than ever before, sent to North Dakota to protect a passionate but naïve twenty-two-year-old blogger who has put herself in harm’s way.
The young woman is Sarah Johnson, whose grandfather saved Mahoney’s life in Vietnam. For the past two years, Sarah has been on a relentless crusade against a billionaire oil tycoon who has profited handsomely from the natural gas boom in the Dakotas—and who she believes has been bribing small-time politicians and judges to keep things in his favor. Though she has no hard evidence against the man, Sarah has been assaulted and received death threats for her meddling. DeMarco, given his years of experience bending the rules in DC, suspects that a middleman like himself is pulling strings for the tycoon. But as DeMarco tries to identify his adversaries, the situation turns unexpectedly violent, and DeMarco finds himself in a battle of wits against two ruthless problem solvers who will stop at nothing to win.
“This tenth Joe DeMarco political thriller tackles the murky world of state and local politics with the series’ hallmark blend of danger and cynical wit…This is a solid thriller, both suspenseful and smart, much in the manner of the great Ross Thomas.”—Booklist
In House Rules, two foiled terrorist attacks and a law targeting Muslim Americans send Joe DeMarco on a dangerous mission among mobsters, meth dealers, and the Washington political elite.
First there was the bomb meant for the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel; then a private plane headed straight for the White House is shot down. An atmosphere of fear and panic overruns the country, and when a senator proposes to run extensive background checks on all Muslims and deport any who aren’t citizens, his bill gains surprising traction. John Mahoney, the larger-than-life Speaker of the House, is not pleased. But Mahoney has a connection to one of the attackers, one he wants kept a secret. So he calls DeMarco, who attempts to get to the bottom of the attacks and to pacify his difficult yet charismatic boss in this riveting installment in the series.
“Full of insider information, this novel reinforces Lawson's place in the upper rank of Washington thriller specialists.”—Publishers Weekly
The dazzling sequel to The Inside Ring finds Joe DeMarco, the Speaker of the House's all-purpose "fixer," in a battle of wits against a lethal female spy.
On a tip from his nephew, the Secretary of the Navy asks House Speaker John Mahoney to send his troubleshooter, Joe DeMarco, to check out a potential case of fraud within the navy. As DeMarco and his friend Emma, a retired DIA agent, begin to investigate, they come to the terrifying realization that an espionage ring has infiltrated the naval base.
The leader of the espionage cell is a woman with whom Emma has a history that goes back to the cold war. Their encounter destroyed the woman's once promising career and turned her into a ruthless operative who cares about only one thing: destroying Emma. DeMarco has never been near a spy in his life and now he's dealing with a foreign agent who is more deadly than anyone he's ever encountered.
