Showing posts with label #ColleenJShogan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #ColleenJShogan. Show all posts

Monday, September 21, 2020

Review Tour and Giveaway: Larceny at the Library by Colleen J Shogan




Larceny at the Library
by Colleen J. Shogan

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GENRE:   Mystery/cozy mystery

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BLURB:

Congressional chief of staff Kit Marshall is finally figuring out what it takes to work for a newly minted committee chair in the House of Representatives. After a swanky evening soiree at the Library of Congress, Kit’s husband Doug discovers the body of a high-ranking librarian inside a ceremonial office. In addition to a murder, there’s also a major theft to complicate the situation. The contents of Abraham Lincoln’s pockets the night he was assassinated have gone missing. Kit’s political boss and the Librarian of Congress ask Kit to investigate, and she’s released into a world of intrigue populated by a frisky donor, an ambitious congressional relations specialist, a cagey rare books curator, an overly curious congressman, and a baseball-loving lawyer. Kit must solve the crime before Doug’s career is tanked by suspicion. The case takes her to the inner bowels of the Library of Congress, Ford’s Theatre, the National Portrait Gallery, and the D.C. Public Library. In the end, Kit must put her own life on the line to retrieve her most valuable possession, which goes unexpectedly missing as she hunts down the killer and thief.

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EXCERPT:
Despite the swarm of police officers, the Great Hall shone with ornate regality. I scanned the marble expanse, which was now filled with law enforcement and officials in dark suits. Finally, I spotted Doug, deep in conversation with O’Halloran.

Maeve Dixon was here, too, but my first priority was Doug. From across the way, I could see the worry lines on Doug’s forehead. In his case, graceful aging wasn’t the culprit. My husband was distressed. Calm and collected, Doug rarely became flustered. His apparent anxiety upped my own blood pressure several points.

I hustled over to the two men. Placing a hand on Doug’s shoulder, I leaned in. “Good morning,” I said evenly, extending my hand. “I understand it’s Sergeant O’Halloran these days.”

The edges of the beefy cop’s mouth inched upward ever so slightly. “Correct, Ms. Marshall. Unfortunately, we meet under difficult circumstances.” He added, “Once again.”

This could only mean murder. “Can you tell me what happened?” 

O’Halloran tried to speak, but Doug cut him off. “I came into work early today, as you know. After dropping off my coat at my office, I walked over here to the Great Hall to make sure everything was in order.” Doug pointed to the Librarian’s ceremonial office, the same place we’d been last night. I noticed a piece of yellow police tape cordoned off the entrance.

I nodded my head and massaged Doug’s shoulder. “Go on. What happened next?”

Doug’s face was now flush. “That’s when I discovered him.”  

“Who, Doug?” I asked. Clearly, the shock had affected his thinking. Maybe he didn’t realize I had no idea what happened.

“My boss,” said Doug, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, no doubt in a futile attempt to forestall an impending headache. “Gustav Gaffney has been murdered, and the killer stole the contents of Lincoln’s pockets.”


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at several universities and previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as a senior executive at the Library of Congress. She is currently the Senior Vice President of the White House Historical Association. 
Colleen is a member of Sisters in Crime. "Stabbing in the Senate" was awarded the Next Generation Indie prize for Best Mystery in 2016. "Homicide in the House" was a 2017 finalist for the RONE Award for Best Mystery. “Calamity at the Continental Club” was a 2018 finalist in the “best cozy mystery” at Killer Nashville. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan.


Purchase Links: 


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GIVEAWAY:

Colleen J. Shogan will be awarding $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE TOUR AND COMMENT
ON EACH STOP TO EARN MORE ENTRIES TO WIN!










My Review

Larceny at the Library is the sixth installment from Colleen J Shogan’s Washington Whodunit series. Even though it is part of a series, I believe it can be read as a stand alone. I have only read one other book in the series and did not feel like I was missing anything by not reading the prior books. I thought it was a great read. I adored Kit’s character. She was quite entertaining trying to solve the mystery. I loved every single page. 

I am giving Larceny at the Library a very much deserved five plus stars. 

I received Larceny at the Library from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 






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Monday, September 23, 2019

Review Tour and Giveaway: Gore in the Garden by Colleen J Shogan


Gore in the Garden
by Colleen J. Shogan


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GENRE: Mystery

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BLURB:

After her boss narrowly escaped political defeat, Kit Marshall is settling into life as a busy congressional staffer. While attending an evening reception at the United States Botanic Garden, Kit’s best friend stumbles upon the body of a high-ranking government official. The chairwoman of a congressional committee asks Kit to investigate, and she finds herself once again in the thick of a murder investigation. The complications keep coming with the unexpected arrival of Kit’s younger brother Sebastian, a hippie protestor who seems more concerned about corporate greed than the professional problems he causes for his sister. To make matters even worse, the romantic lives of Kit’s closest friends are driving her crazy, diverting her attention from the mystery she’s been tasked to solve. The search for the killer requires her to tussle with an investigative journalist right out of a noir novel, a congresswoman fixated on getting a statue of James Madison installed on the Capitol grounds, and a bossy botanist who would do anything to protect the plants he loves. When the murderer sends a threatening message to Kit via a highly unusual delivery mechanism, Kit knows she must find the killer or risk the lives of her friends and loved ones.

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EXCERPT

“So, why are we going to a garden to drink beer tonight, Kit? Has Doug’s trust fund dried up?” Sebastian gave me a playful punch on the arm to let me know he was yanking my chain.

I sighed for the umpteenth time before responding. “It’s my job, Sebastian. I’m the chief of staff for a member of the House of Representatives. She’s been assigned to a relatively obscure committee called House Administration. It oversees the legislative branch agencies and the Capitol Grounds.”

Sebastian considered my answer for a few moments before speaking. The snide tone was gone. “That’s actually kind of cool. So, your boss helps run Congress?”

“Partially. The Speaker appointed her to this committee because she’s smart and asks intelligent questions. The nice part about the assignment is that she gets invited to the best events on Capitol Hill. Like tonight.”

We’d just driven past the Washington Monument, on our way due east toward the Botanic Garden, which was situated at the base of the Hill between the Hirshhorn Museum and the Capitol Building.

 “Why is tonight so special again? There’s a special flower you want me to see?”

I punched his arm playfully. “Trust me, Sebastian. Aren’t you a fan of the Earth and everything natural? You’ll be right at home at the Botanic Garden,” I said. “But you’re right. You’ll see something amazing at the reception this evening.”

He cleared his throat. “And what exactly is this awe-inspiring specimen of the plant kingdom?”

In my most ominous voice, I answered my brother. “The corpse flower. We’re going to see the corpse flower.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Colleen J. Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. She conceived of the plot of her first novel one morning while taking a walk in her suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood. A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at numerous universities. She previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate. She’s currently a senior executive at the Library of Congress.
Colleen lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan. She is a member of Sisters in Crime. "Stabbing in the Senate" was awarded the Next Generation Indie prize for Best Mystery in 2016. "Homicide in the House" was a 2017 finalist for the RONE Award for Best Mystery. “Calamity at the Continental Club” was a 2018 finalist in the “best cozy mystery” at Killer Nashville.

https://www.facebook.com/washingtonwhodunit/

https://twitter.com/cshogan276

www.colleenshogan.com

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gore-in-the-garden-colleen-shogan/1131993549

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/gore-in-the-garden

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/936838

https://www.amazon.com/Gore-Garden-Washington-Whodunnit-Book-ebook/dp/B07S4F8XZZ/

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Colleen J. Shogan will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE TOUR AND COMMENT
ON EACH STOP TO EARN MORE ENTRIES TO WIN!

September 9: The Reading Addict
September 16: Iron Canuck
September 23: Locks, Hooks and Books
September 30: Fabulous and Brunette
September 30: Our Town Book Reviews









My Review
Gore in the Garden is my first experience with Colleen J. Shogan’s writing. I believe this fifth installment from the Washington Whodunit series can be read as a stand alone. I was able to jump right in and read it without feeling as though I have missed some information that was in the previous books. I thought this was a great and fun read. I found myself giggling at times and I was enthralled in the mystery. I was definitely surprised at the “whodunit”.

 I give Gore in the Garden five plus stars. I would love to read the other books from the Washington Whodunit series. I look forward to more by Colleen J Shogan in the future.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion. 



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