Murder at the CDC by Jon Land/Review by Bruce Meisterman
Murder at the CDC
Jon Land
Forge Books
$27.99
978-1250238894
February 15, 2022
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The New York Times bestselling Capital Crimes series by Margaret Truman returns in Murder at the CDC by Jon Land as the thirty-second installment in this long-standing and acclaimed political series.
Margaret Truman’s Murder at the CDC features Robert Brixton’s return to the series in his most personal case yet. In 2017 a military transport was on a secret run to dispose of its deadly contents but suddenly vanished without a trace. Flash forward to the present and a mass shooting almost claims the life of Brixton’s grandson on the steps of the Capitol Building. No stranger to high stakes, or to coloring outside the lines, Brixton must discover how these two are connected.
Teaming up with Kelly Loftus, a former homicide detective who, like Brixton, sometimes eschews the rules in order to solve the case, he finds a willing partner, but with her own agenda. In doing so, they wind up in the crosshairs of a deadly militia group led by Deacon Frank, his legions, and their Washington enablers.
With the specter of a mass genocide committed by Deacon Frank’s group facing them, Brixton and Loftus create a formidable team seeking to stop the plot before it’s fully enacted. In their search for answers, they’ll discover the plot reaches the highest level of government and there’s very little time remaining to stop it.
The action in Murder at the CDC is quick and doesn’t allow for much character development, but that allows for a faster-paced story. Though the series started in 1980, it shows no signs of slowing down. If the fiction of these books is any indication of the real machinations in DC, then more people should be behind bars. That stated, in Murder at the CDC, prison is only one way justice is served. This is a real page turner. If you’re new to the series, rejoice–you’ve got thirty-one more thrillers to put on your list.
Bruce’s first book, Arn? Narn., is a photo-documentary of vanishing rural Newfoundland, published in 2012. Arn? Narn. was named Book of the Month in November 2012 by the English magazine Fly Fishing and was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He has just finished his first book of fiction, Jacob Will, 11.0: A Coward’s Guide to Living.
When not writing, he can be found cycling; attempting to learn the guitar (badly); reading almost anything within reach; listening to music; discovering obscure films; and traveling. Good food and better wine fit in there somewhere too.
He has lectured at numerous colleges and universities including: University of Mississippi, University of Delaware, Tennessee Tech, Union University, Siena College, College of St. Rose, and the State University of New York among others.
Bruce is also a two-time multi-panelist at the Killer Nashville Writer’s Conference and a featured author at the Southern Festival of Books.