Stranglehold

In Anthony-winner Gorman’s engaging second mystery to feature Chicago political consultant Dev Conrad (after 2008’s Sleeping Dogs), Dev steps in to help stumbling congressional incumbent Susan Cooper right her floundering campaign. A former army intelligence operative, Dev joins the campaign in Aldyne, Ill., where he has to deal with the candidate’s dragon lady stepmother, who uses the purse strings like a whip, and the opposition’s unscrupulous consultants, Monica Davies and Greg Larson. Susan’s efforts to conceal a secret from her past and fractures among her supporters don’t help. When Monica is murdered in her hotel room, saving the campaign may be the least of Dev’s worries. In addition to offering plenty of suspects and some nifty complications, Gorman makes campaign strategy, from dirty tricks to spin control, an integral, highly interesting part of the story. Dev’s strong showing in this sophomore campaign should guarantee that he’ll run again. (Oct.)