Elimination

In Gorman’s intriguing fifth Dev Conrad mystery (after 2013’s Flashpoint), three shots are fired at congresswoman Jessica Bradshaw, who’s running for reelection, after she leaves a TV debate in Danton, Ill., where she faced off against her opponent, Trent Dorsey, a caricature of the right-wing rabble-rouser. The shots miss, and the would-be assassin escapes. A standard-model modern liberal who’s embarrassed by her personal wealth, Bradshaw is doing well in the polls, but her imperious and ambitious husband, Ted, could be a liability. In addition, the fragile health of their daughter, Katherine, is a worry. The discovery of the shotgun used in the shooting in a Bradshaw staffer’s car trunk suggests the incident was staged. Conrad, Bradshaw’s political adviser, determines to track down the guilty party. Readers of all political stripes will have as much fun following the maneuverings of Bradshaw’s and Dorsey’s respective campaigns as trying to figure out whodunit. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency. (July)