Scan barcode
jed's review
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
hugbandit7's review
4.0
I would give this 3 1/2 to 4 stars. I liked that it was set in Washington DC and in the Congressional offices, that is a new location for me. Kit does what all newbies to a crime scene do, touch the murder weapon and therefore make themselves a suspect. Of course she then has to go about clearing her name.
I thought the book was well written and I did not suspect who the killer ended up being. I was on the right track but thought it was someone else. The characters were realistic with a good mix of "good" and "bad" characters.
There is a little insight into what happens in a Senator's office, would have liked to learned maybe a little bit more, but a good balance overall.
This could be an interesting series especially since Kit will be in a different job since her boss was killed in this book.
I thought the book was well written and I did not suspect who the killer ended up being. I was on the right track but thought it was someone else. The characters were realistic with a good mix of "good" and "bad" characters.
There is a little insight into what happens in a Senator's office, would have liked to learned maybe a little bit more, but a good balance overall.
This could be an interesting series especially since Kit will be in a different job since her boss was killed in this book.
utahgirl90's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
alainaskalski's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Pretty cheesy! Enjoyed the references to the Senate.
rtwilliams16's review
4.0
Colleen Shogan's first book in her Washington Whodunit series is definitely a page turner. She had me guessing the identity of the killer right to the end, along with Kit and Meg. Highly recommend this book for mystery readers as well as political junkies. I look forward to reading the next books in the series.
chelz286's review
2.0
I did not figure out who the killer was, however I thought this books was very back and forth. It would have a strong story line and then often veer off with useless details or information. At times I felt like the characters were behaving like teenagers. I got a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
dingbatlikescomics's review
2.0
2/5
Decent start to a series; if I continue to read, I hope her descriptive style improves and Kit Marshall gets more of a personality. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I feel like there’s tons of details that I would like Shogan to delve into but she dodged the opportunity. For example, she describes Senator Langsford’s gardening as immaculate, but doesn’t go into the description of the flowers’ color, shape, or general qualities.
All she says is that there shrubs.
Just shrubs.
Also, when Kit recalls conversations, she’ll oftentimes gloss over the dialogue and just describe the content of the conversation in a very straightforward way. I understand sometimes this is necessary when having the relay information to other characters that the reader already knows, so as not to be terribly redundant, but it happens way too often and not always in necessary circumstances.
The characters do not have any unique qualities, and while that could make it easier for the reader to find themself in the characters, it just ends up making them seem like 2D paper dolls of annoying people that you are acquainted with that never change and consistently bother and waste your time.
Also, the dialogue. Gosh, I don’t think anyone talks like they do, or maybe DC staffers only talk in stiff, complete sentences? They address each other by name in the middle of conversation for one thing, and it’s towards characters that aren’t even Senators or Representatives. A lot of it feel unnatural and impersonal.
That being said, the plot was alright. I guess. Yeah that’s it.
Decent start to a series; if I continue to read, I hope her descriptive style improves and Kit Marshall gets more of a personality. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I feel like there’s tons of details that I would like Shogan to delve into but she dodged the opportunity. For example, she describes Senator Langsford’s gardening as immaculate, but doesn’t go into the description of the flowers’ color, shape, or general qualities.
All she says is that there shrubs.
Just shrubs.
Also, when Kit recalls conversations, she’ll oftentimes gloss over the dialogue and just describe the content of the conversation in a very straightforward way. I understand sometimes this is necessary when having the relay information to other characters that the reader already knows, so as not to be terribly redundant, but it happens way too often and not always in necessary circumstances.
The characters do not have any unique qualities, and while that could make it easier for the reader to find themself in the characters, it just ends up making them seem like 2D paper dolls of annoying people that you are acquainted with that never change and consistently bother and waste your time.
Also, the dialogue. Gosh, I don’t think anyone talks like they do, or maybe DC staffers only talk in stiff, complete sentences? They address each other by name in the middle of conversation for one thing, and it’s towards characters that aren’t even Senators or Representatives. A lot of it feel unnatural and impersonal.
That being said, the plot was alright. I guess. Yeah that’s it.
dollycas's review
5.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is an excellent whodunit!
Kit Marshall’s life is good. She lives with her wealthy boyfriend and they share a lovable beagle named Clarence. She works for Senator Lyndon Langsford and her boyfriend works mostly from home. They have what I would call a very comfortable relationship.
Kit was unable to present a memo to Senator Langsford yesterday so she goes in early to work to insure that he has it before a very important committee meeting. She is surprised that her boss has beaten her to work. He is in his chair with his back to her but he isn’t responding to her at all. She moves forward and realizes she is not being ignored, the Senator has been stabbed. She rushes to help him but she is too late. Things spiral out of control from there as people start to arrive and she has the murder weapon in her hands.
I was really impressed with this very smart story. The author is a former Senate staffer so she is writing what she knows, less the murder, I hope. :)
Kit works with her friend Meg and together they become this dynamic duo trying to find out who killed their very popular boss and if it had anything to do with an upcoming vote. This part really rang true for me. With the gridlock in Congress I am surprised there aren’t more dead bodies. In this story there are plenty of people who could have killed the man. From his wife, to an important lobbyist, members of Congress and even his staff. They are so many twists that at one point I was completely confused, it could have been anyone, except Kit, of course. I figured it out right along with Kit, the way it’s supposed to be.
We leave Kit ready to start a new job and I hope it won’t be too long until we hear all about it. You know someone’s going to die…
This is an excellent whodunit!
Kit Marshall’s life is good. She lives with her wealthy boyfriend and they share a lovable beagle named Clarence. She works for Senator Lyndon Langsford and her boyfriend works mostly from home. They have what I would call a very comfortable relationship.
Kit was unable to present a memo to Senator Langsford yesterday so she goes in early to work to insure that he has it before a very important committee meeting. She is surprised that her boss has beaten her to work. He is in his chair with his back to her but he isn’t responding to her at all. She moves forward and realizes she is not being ignored, the Senator has been stabbed. She rushes to help him but she is too late. Things spiral out of control from there as people start to arrive and she has the murder weapon in her hands.
I was really impressed with this very smart story. The author is a former Senate staffer so she is writing what she knows, less the murder, I hope. :)
Kit works with her friend Meg and together they become this dynamic duo trying to find out who killed their very popular boss and if it had anything to do with an upcoming vote. This part really rang true for me. With the gridlock in Congress I am surprised there aren’t more dead bodies. In this story there are plenty of people who could have killed the man. From his wife, to an important lobbyist, members of Congress and even his staff. They are so many twists that at one point I was completely confused, it could have been anyone, except Kit, of course. I figured it out right along with Kit, the way it’s supposed to be.
We leave Kit ready to start a new job and I hope it won’t be too long until we hear all about it. You know someone’s going to die…