Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Dangerous Women by Mark de Castrique

Mystery writer Mark de Castrique is a veteran of the broadcast and film production business. In Washington DC, he directed news and public affairs programs and received an Emmy Award for his documentary film work.

He’s written a number of thrillers and mysteries including the Blackman Agency Investigations series, the Buryin’ Barry series, and some stand-alone novels. In Secret Lives (Poisoned Pen Press, 2022) he introduced Ethel Fiona Crestwater, a seventy-five-year-old retired FBI agent who now rents rooms in her Arlington, Virginia, house to FBI and Secret Service agents, and Crestwater’s double first cousin twice removed Jesse.

Crestwater returns in Dangerous Women (Poisoned Pen Press, 2023) when one of her boarders is injured in what appears to be a mugging gone wrong. Her companion is killed and his backpack with laptop and papers from their office is taken, but a wallet full of cash remained. Both were law clerks to Supreme Court justices; a high-visibility case with far-reaching environmental and energy impacts is under consideration by the jurists. The decision is expected imminently; the outcome is being watched by Native Americans, ranchers, mineral rights groups, fossil fuels special interest groups, and dozens of associated factions. It wasn’t hard to reach the conclusion that someone tried to find out how the decision might be trending and went too far.

The attack took place in the District of Columbia but it involved the Supreme Court, which has its own police force. The question of jurisdiction was being debated when Crestwater alerted the Director of the FBI, who used to be one of her roomers, and he decided that the FBI would lead the investigation, since the crime appeared to affect Federal executives and cross state lines. Crestwater as usual ignored them all and dove headfirst into the deep political waters roiling around the investigation.

This is a dynamic, tightly plotted political thriller. The issues under consideration are timely and relevant. The combination of Crestwater and her much younger cousin is positively inspired. He provides enthusiasm and energy, and she has decades of investigative experience and knowledge of the government to draw on. Propulsive action and crisp writing raise the caliber of this book to above the ordinary, as does the insider knowledge on display. Natives to DC and Arlington will appreciate the references to the streets and the landmarks of the region. Fans of the Joe DeMarco series by Mike Lawson should definitely take a look at this book. Starred review from Publishers Weekly.

The third book in the series is scheduled for release in fall 2025.

·         Publisher: ‎Poisoned Pen Press (October 24, 2023)

·         Language: ‎English

·         Paperback: ‎320 pages

·         ISBN-10: ‎1728258332

·         ISBN-13: ‎978-1728258331 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3VAveQX 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2024

 

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.