House Witness [Hardcover]

InHouse Witness, the twelfth novel in the Joe DeMarco series, Mike Lawson puts his likable protagonist on the trail of a different kind of fixerone whose job is to influence, and sometimes disappear, witnesses in seemingly airtight criminal cases.

Minority Leader of the House and DeMarcos long-time 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 New York to assist prosecutor Justine Porter, but with five bystanders willing to testify against the killerrich-boy Toby Rosenthalthe 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. Is there someone who is getting witnesses out of the way when the fate of a wealthy defendant is on the line?

With the help of Porters 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 this series most unexpected plot yet.Praise forHouse Witness:

One of the best in a superior series . . . Ive read all twelve and consider this series to be among the top ten mystery series being published today.Deadly Pleasures, Rating: A

Each of Lawsons DeMarco novels have been first-rate, butHouse Witnessmay be the best yet. DeMarcos investigation and the machinations of the witness tamperers are skillfully detailed and thoroughly involving, but the love affair between two of the criminals is an unexpected bonus. Readers will once again find themselves comparing Lawson to the late, great Ross Thomas.Booklist(starred review)

Winning . . . . Readers will enjoy watching the case unravel and . . . the action builds to a satisfying resolution.Publishers Welc2