Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Blog Tour: Stabbing in the Senate by Colleen J. Shogan (Review/Tour-Wide Giveaway)



About the Book

Cozy Mystery, #1 in Washington Whodunit Mystery Series
A Brand New Series
Camel Press (November 15, 2015)
Paperback: 236 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1603813310
E-Book ASIN: B017CBHTOE



Synopsis from Goodreads:

Life is good for Kit Marshall. She's a staffer in D.C. for a popular senator, and she lives with an adoring beagle and a brainy boyfriend with a trust fund. Then, one morning, Kit arrives at the office early and finds her boss, Senator Langsford, impaled by a stainless steel replica of an Army attack helicopter. Panicked, she pulls the weapon out of his chest and instantly becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

Circumstances back Kit's claim of innocence, but her photograph has gone viral, and the heat won't be off until the killer is found. Well-loved though the senator was, suspects abound. Langsford had begun to vote with his conscience, which meant he was often at odds with his party. Not only had the senator decided to quash the ambitions of a major military contractor, but his likely successor is a congressman he trounced in the last election. Then there's the suspiciously dry-eyed Widow Langsford.

Kit's tabloid infamy horrifies her boyfriend's upper-crust family, and it could destroy her career. However, she and her free-spirited friend Meg have a more pressing reason to play sleuth. The police are clueless in more ways than one, and Kit worries that the next task on the killer's agenda will be to end her life.

Book 1 in the Washington Whodunit mystery series.

My Review

Senate Staffer, Kit Marshall arrives at work early to make sure her boss receives a memo she wrote. She’s shocked when she finds her boss, Senator Langsford, murdered with his own model helicopter. Trying to help him, she touches the murder weapon and naturally becomes the prime murder suspect. In fact, according to the police, the only murder suspect. All other possibilities have ironclad alibis.

To make matters worse, Kit’s photo is all over the internet which doesn’t sit well with her boyfriend’s wealthy family. Not to mention that, with her boss dead, she’s going to need a new job. That will be impossible to find under the circumstances. With the help of her best friend and fellow senate staffer, Meg, they start their own investigation into the murder. There’s no way Kit can leave her life in the hands of the police.

This book grabs you right from the start and holds your attention to the end. The author gives a great insight to the inner workings of Washington without overwhelming the reader with too many details. It’s just the right amount to make readers feel as if they are part of the story.

The characters come to life which isn’t always an easy task when a series is first starting. I felt as if I already knew Kit and I liked what I read. Her boyfriend, Doug, seemed nice enough but I’m hoping his character will be more developed in future books. Kit’s friend, Meg, added a great spark to the story, she is full of energy and fun.

The story itself is fast-paced and I enjoyed trying to figure out the killer along with Kit and Meg. I wasn’t overly surprised at who it turned out to be, but there were several choices it could have been. So, it was a story that kept you guessing.

Overall, a great start to a new series. I love the Washington setting and I will be interested to see where life takes Kit on her next adventure.



For reading challenges:
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2016
Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2016
Craving for the Cozies Reading Challenge 2016

FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author


Colleen J. Shogan is the deputy director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress. She is a former Senate staffer who started reading mysteries at the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American government at George Mason University, Georgetown, and Penn. Stabbing in the Senate is her first novel.

Author Link
Webpage – colleenshogan.com
Twitter – twitter.com/cshogan276
Purchase Links

Tour-Wide Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. I like books that are set in Washington, so that is a big plus for me. And it's always nice to get in on the beginning of a series. I'm game. LOL

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  2. I would love to read this book—thanks for the chance to win a copy!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  3. This sounds really interesting. I like the Washington setting and the fact that the main character has a reason to investigate! I'll definitely be looking for this one!

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  4. Thanks so much for the great review! Good luck in the giveaway. The next book in the series, Homicide in the House, comes out in June!!

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  5. This books is at the top of my wish list. Thanks for the review.

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  6. I'd love to read this one! It's the kind of book I enjoy! Thank you!

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  7. Books with a Washington setting and a little political flavor are lots of fun. Thanks for the contest.

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  8. Thank you for the giveaway! This book sounds great!!

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  9. Sounds like a fun read; I'm looking forward to it!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  10. The cover looks really vintage - I love it, but I didn't expect the story to set in the modern day, with the internet! I'm glad you enjoyed this one - fast pacing is always a bonus with this genre!

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  11. Love this type of mystery. Looks like a fascinating read. New author is always so exciting. Thanks for this chance. Della at deepotter@peoplepc.com

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