Murder at the CDC, a Capitol Crimes novel, written by Jon Land is a spectacular book. I had never read one of Margaret Truman's books. This one is the second one penned by Jon Land.

Five years previous, a tanker carrying a deadly bioweapon called the “White Death" disappears, enter Dr. Efrem Lutayne who knows what the White Death is and how it could be used to kill millions of people if it falls into the wrong hands. We have another character, Senator Byron Birch who meets with Dr. Lutayne regarding the tanker. This is a world of militants and extremists who have found out about the White Death and want to use it for their own reasons.

There was a poisoning at a Baltimore High School, no one knows why seven students were killed and who had done it. Then there is a shooting on the Capitol stairs that leaves many dead and wounded. Among those at the shooting is our protagonist's, Robert Brixton's grandson who saves a friend of his. He thinks that he saw a second shooter. Brixton ends up investigating the shooting, along with his friend Mac. Mac had asked Brixton to meet with his newfound daughter Alexandra. She works at the CDC and thinks she is in trouble; she might know too much about something; this she confides to Brixton. Before he can do an investigation into what Alexandra is worried about, she ends up in the hospital, poisoned.

There is a parallel storyline, one of Kelly Loftus, an employee of the Capital Police, who coming off her shift, was witness to the shooting on the Capital steps. She came upon a woman on a park bench who she questioned, the woman was incoherent and all she kept saying was that "I know who did it". Kelly was interrupted by a crowd, and she asked the woman to stay put she would be right back. The woman did not stay but her purse must have opened, and she left a trail, like breadcrumbs, of the contents in her purse. Kelly retrieves the items, but instead of turning them into the FBI, she keeps them and wants to investigate what the clues mean.

The three of them, Brixton, Mac and Kelly work together to find out who the shooter was and why? So why were these kids shot at, why was Alexandra poisoned? Kelly is apprehended and questioned by the FBI. A good friend of hers, or so she thought, turned her into the FBI as the information she had was too important.

Enter Deacon Frank Wilhyte an extremely rich man but mean man who can't seem to get out from his dead father thumb, he seems to treat his own son like he was treated by his father. Kelly and Brixton trace the poisonings and shootings right to the Deacon's doorstep.

This is a story that takes place before the January 6th, 2021, but the workings behind the shooting in the book are reminiscent of that event, scarily so. Political greed, scary individuals bent on power and not caring about anything but their own means. A novel that moves right along, a real page turner. I knew that this book would be a thriller of the best kind as I read a few of Jon Land's Caitlin Strong series and love them. You need to start this series with whatever book you want, there are so many. If you want a recap on some principal characters, you can go back in the series, otherwise Murder at the CDC can be read as a standalone.

Loved it, I give it 4 stars ( )

WOW. That Prologue sure got my heart pounding and it’s ‘funny’ I read this right now, because I was just talking about hazardous waste, how they transport it, where it goes, what happens to it over time, and how frightening the whole situation is.

It all starts for Robert, an investigator, and his soon to be ally, Kelly Lofton, who is a member of the Capitol Police, with a shooting on the capitol steps. Terrorists? If terrorists, are they foreign or domestic?

Robert prays that he won’t lose another member of his family to violence. His grandson, Max, was on those steps. Max is a chip off the old block. Because of his past ‘work’, Robert knows many people who work in the shadows and he will need all the help he can get. Robert and Kelly both play by their own rules, so it’s not surprising that the threads they are both following bring them together.

Kelly was unfairly let go from her job with Baltimore Homicide. She had been good enough to be the city’s youngest female homicide detective, and she was also African American. The Blue Wall (of evil) reared its ugly head and I am ticked off for her. She makes unilateral decisions, holding things close to the vest and opening the door for those close to her to betray her.

I love damaged characters. I find it interesting, how they struggle through their daily lives, striving to do the right thing, to have a happy home life, while situations beyond their control cause them to put their lives on the line.

Government secrets…I know we need them. How else can we fight against those who want to bring us down. But, that also leaves things open for abuse. Just like anything else, those who want to do good…will. Those who want to do bad…will. I love how Jon Land incorporates bits of reality into his stories. It’s these bits of reality that make the story even more frightening. Some even sound like current events you would hear on the news…or leaked from behind closed doors.

The suspense and tension are ramping up. The action is nonstop. I am beginning to be very worried for some of the characters. How much danger is coming their way? Will they all make it, or will someone pay the ultimate price. Either way, they are in it to the end.

The more I read, the more I feel a sense of urgency. Not just to stop whatever is coming, but to save the lives of the characters. And, isn’t there always some religious zealot making his grab for power, not caring how many he destroys to gain it? We get to see into the mind of evil and find his motivation.

Each chapter hops to a characters moment in time. I love/hate it because it ramps up my need to know, mauybe even stop what happens next. LOL As if I could.

Even though I always recommend starting a series with the first book, it is not necessary. Each book can stand alone. I had never read any of the series before Jon Land starting writing it and began the series with Murder on the Metro. I don’t feel like it affects the book, but it does make me curious about Robert and his past.

We have seen how fragile democracy is and how easily someone can twist things to try to achieve their own agenda, whether greed, power, or just plan hate. Murder at the CDC is a story that seems all too real, but…

WHEW…Brixton and Kelly will live to fight another day. Will they do it together? I know that Robert is the main character, but I love Kelly and hope I get to see more of her.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Murder at the CDC by Jon Land.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com ( )

terrorism, black-ops, family-dynamics, friendship, private-investigators, PTSD, feds, law-enforcement, Washington DC, murder, murder-investigation, suspense, thriller*****

Very interesting characters on both sides of the law and in between. Main white knights are the well-seasoned veteran of several government agencies (Robert Brixton), a former marine and ex homicide cop who got a bad rap for being female and black (Kelly Loftus), a DC lawyer (Mac Smith) with some interesting connections. The dark forces are a US senator, a far wing zealot and his followers, and a lost shipment of toxic chemicals. Toss in a poisoning of high school students and a mass shooting on the steps of the capitol building and you have an idea about this fast-paced riveting read!
Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Forge Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )