Kingpin by Mike Lawson

Published by Atlantic Monthly Press on February 6, 2024

Patrick Grady is a Washington, D.C. lobbyist. Real estate tycoon Carson Newman hired Grady to kill a bill that would protect tenants’ rights. His efforts put him in the middle of a war between Newman and House Minority Leader John Mahoney. Newman expected Mahoney to kill the bill as a reward for Newman’s campaign contributions. Mahoney, who is usually happy to grant favors in exchange for cash, saw greater value in passing the bill and showing voters that Democrats could actually accomplish something they care about. Mahoney is therefore cheesed off that Grady successfully lobbied a dozen Democrats to oppose the bill.

Mahoney assigned his intern, Brian Lewis, to investigate the Democrats who voted against the bill and figure out how they were connected to Newman. Lewis finds the connections and writes a report but dies of a drug overdose before he shows it to anyone.

Lewis’ mom raises a stink with Mahoney because she knows her son was investigating corrupt politicians and believes he was murdered. To keep Lewis’ mother from going to the press, Mahoney assigns Joe DeMarco to appease her.

Series fans will know that DeMarco would rather play golf than work. He doesn’t use his law degree for anything useful. He has a basement office in the capitol and a job title, but his only duties involve cleaning up messes and running errands for Mahoney.

DeMarco’s initial plan is to placate Lewis’ mother by making it seem like he’s investigating her son’s death. She convinces him that her suspicions might have some merit, but he doesn’t know what Lewis discovered. Lewis’ laptop is in the hands of a private investigator who is working for Grady. The PI had Lewis followed by Sydney Roma, a recovering drug addict who is getting her life together with the PI’s help. At Grady’s request, the PI wipes the incriminating evidence from the laptop and has Sydney concoct an excuse that will allow the laptop to be returned to Lewis’ mother. DeMarco views the laptop’s sudden reappearance as suspicious and begins to look for Sydney as his best connection to Lewis’ killer.

DeMarco novels are fun because murders and criminal conspiracies are balanced by humor. DeMarco isn’t an exemplary individual but his compassion and sense of justice offset his many flaws. Mahoney is a corrupt alcoholic but somehow likable, in part because he sometimes uses his power to help people who deserve a break. Sidney is a great addition to the story because of her unbreakable spirit.

DeMarco uses a clever ruse to move the plot toward a desirable ending. He also defies an FBI agent because, true to form, the FBI is willing to let murderers off the hook if they can take down a more headline-worthy villain — in this case, a wealthy Albanian gangster. DeMarco doesn’t want that to happen, even at the risk of making himself a target of an FBI investigation.

DeMarco stories usually have credible plots and reasonably happy endings. Kingpin is no exception. DeMarco novels might have a bit more violence than a typical beach read, but the violence isn’t particularly graphic. Crime novel fans can spend pleasant afternoons on a beach with Kingpin and come away smiling.

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