Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Book CoverVeena’s review of Fatal Accusation (Fatal Series, Book 15) by Marie Force
Romantic Suspense published by HQN 17 Dec 19

This is one of my favorite series from Marie Force, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next chapter in the series as soon as it comes out.  Engaging as it is to find out what’s happening with our favorite cast of characters in Washington DC, I have a feeling this story line has run its course and is no longer fresh and exciting.

A rare evening off for Nick and Sam and their friends is interrupted with the scandal that not only might the President have had an affair while his wife was fighting cancer, but that he might also have a baby from that affair. The story is barely out into the world before murder changes the dialogue even more. Will Nick find himself in the White House before he can think?  I really do like the dialogue with the party and Nick’s stance on not wanting to be President.

As Sam jumps to what she does best as the top homicide cop in the city and begins her investigation, other things in her life are coming to a head – and, no, not just the first lady gig, which seems to be looming.  Her nemesis, Stahl, who almost got away with gruesomely murdering her, is on trial and for whatever reason, despite the evidence, everyone seems to want to prepare Sam for the chance that he might be acquitted. Lady Justice can’t be that blind – or can she?

Most of the book is the scandal in the police department with one of their top brass being caught in the same scandal that caught Sam’s father Skip in its crosshairs and left him a quadriplegic.  The family is dealing with not just Skip’s death but the truth behind his case that has blown the lid off the corruption in the Metro Police Department. Gonzo is ready to come back to work from his stint in rehab, working through his addiction to pain medication, and, of course, Sam and her team go about the procedural work of following the clues to solve the murder du jour.

The story is very predictable, but I definitely enjoyed spending personal time with Nick and Sam and their delightful family and friends.

Grade: C

Summary:

A deadly serious affair…

The story breaks as Metro PD lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son—while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…

Read an excerpt.