House Divided

Joe DeMarco #6

by Mike Lawson

When the National Security Agency was caught wiretapping U.S. citizens without warrants, a political scandal erupted and the secret program came to a screeching halt. But the senior man at the NSA who spearheaded the most sophisticated eavesdropping operation in history wasn't about to sit by while spineless politicians sleepwalked his country into another 9/11. Instead, he moved the program into the shadows. But being in the shadows can cause complications.

When the NSA illegally records a rogue military group murdering two American civilians, they can't exactly walk over to the Pentagon and demand to know what's going on. That doesn't mean the NSA's hands are tied, however. As the largest intelligence service in the country, both in money and manpower, they have plenty of options - mostly illegitimate.

DeMarco learns all too well just what the NSA is capable of. They bug him, threaten him, and use him to draw out their opponent. But DeMarco doesn't like being used. A strong addition to this celebrated series, House Divided continues Mike Lawson's impressive run of inspired, compelling thrillers.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Mystery, Espionage, Politics

340 pages, Hardcover

First published July 5, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Pen name: M.A Lawson

Michael Lawson was raised in Pueblo, Colorado and attended college at Seattle University, receiving a degree in engineering. On leaving college he went to work for the US Navy as a nuclear engineer, spending approximately thirty years working for the Navy's nuclear power program. Some of this time was spent in Washington D.C. but most was spent at a large naval shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.

At the shipyard he managed a number of different organizations related to overhauling nuclear powered submarines, cruisers, and aircraft carriers, ending up as a member of the government’s Senior Executive Service

To date he has published 12 books starring Joe DeMarco, a fixer for a corrupt politician and three books in his Kay Hamilton series under the name of M. A. Lawson: He has won the Friend of Mystery Award twice and is a five time nominee for the Barry Award.

He lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Lawson is an excellent author and this story moves at a great pace.

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - 9:57 Hours - Narrator: Joe Barrett

Another likeable Joe DeMarco book. It was an interesting read/listen, deserving a solid 3.0 stars. Nothing outstanding here, but I am happy to continue with this enjoyable series.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!
I loved it. While reading I kept reminding myself this isn’t real. Or maybe it is. No, no it’s fiction. But maybe it isn’t. But we all know it’s probably happening. Right?

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately I've been itching to read a good thriller. This book didn't disappoint. The story centers on a government murder--and subsequent cover-up--that involves a four star army general, a master spy, and Joe Demarco, cousin of the man who was murdered, and an unwitting pawn in a lethal chess match between some of Washington's heaviest hitters.

The reason I liked this novel is that, not only is the story compelling, but also because the stakes are so high. I suppose a good writer of fiction can dramatize the ordinary--and many do--but if you're in the mood for a page-turner with characters who have a lot to lose, "House Divided" would be a fun read.

My favorite character isn't Joe Demarco, though he is intriguing. He's tough, smart, impatient, and sarcastic. He's cynical, yet you can't help but root for him. But, no, he's not my favorite character. Paul Russo is. Though Paul is never alive in the book--his was the murder on which the novel is based--we do learn a lot about him. He was kind, generous, selfless, and simply a good person. The circumstances of his murder are fascinating and, ultimately, make the novel such a good read. Without giving anything away, I will say that Paul's goodness acts as a contrast to the corruption and violence of many of the book's characters (even the supposedly virtuous ones).

This is a good book, and a fun ride. I am now a Mike Lawson fan, and will eagerly read his novels as they'll continue to delight any thriller junkie, or simply any reader who enjoys a fast paced thriller with a tight plot, interesting characters, and a lot on the line.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unwiling to admit that despite clear orders to the contrary they've been illegally eavesdropping on US citizens on US soil, a secret unit within the NSA chooses not to disclose that they've recorded what appears to be audio footage of some kind of rogue military outfit murdering two civilians in Washington DC and instead quietly looks into the matter itself. Joe DeMarco, a fixer working for the Speaker of the House, becomes caught up in the matter because one of the murdered men happens to be his cousin. By questioning the FBI's doctored findings on the case, he winds up on the NSA unit's radar and becomes an extremely unwilling pawn in their operation.

This is the first book from this series I've read. Even though I don't usually like starting a series in the middle, I picked it up more or less at random at the library while in the mood for a political thriller. Originally published in 2011, this is one of those books that just doesn't age all that well - post-Snowden at the very latest, it's entirely inconceivable that anyone doesn't know what NSA stands for or what it does, and the idea of them monitoring communications on such a large scale etc. may be no less disgusting and despicable now, but it has rather lost its initial shock value. I also just didn't care for the protagonist at all - he comes across as a selfish ass who isn't all that bright and generally unlikable. I might try a few more books from the series nevertheless, because the story itself did keep me fairly interested.

[Gannonwb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lawson never disappoints. If you've lived in DC and Arlington it's a fun read to see a lot of familiar places. Also, Demarco has more to do in this one which I appreciated. I never rave about this series but it always entertains me, which when it comes down to it, is all I really want. I read Chabon's Yiddish Policeman's Union, there were some amazing turns of phrase and dazzling writing but eventually the writing (or over-writing) obscured the story and I lost interest. I have never quit on a Mike Lawson book.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting book. One based on a situation that would "never" happen anywhere in the world and least of all places in the USA. Enemy of the State is one movie that has some hint of what the book does. I don't blame Joe DeMarco for being a little worried. Pick up the book, you really don't need to know the history of the other 5 given that there are only some references to past activities. It would be a good thing to read the other 5 to get the idea of what type of character is Joe DeMarco. He has certainly changed from book 1-as have I.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a fast paced spy-type novel. I liked the pace and the main character. This is the 6th book in the Joe DeMarco series by Mike Lawson. I have never read any of these books before. So starting with the 6th one, I didn't feel lost because of missed back story. It was focused on the current story which was greatly appreciated and it had a nice flow. I plan on reading more my this author.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entertaining thriller in this always reliably good series. I really like Joe DeMarco and his cynical regular guy attitude. Missed some of the usual supporting characters and the writing had quite a bit of telling at the end but the narration by Joe Barrett smoothed over any rough spots.

[B.R. Stateham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very smooth, fast pace read. The Joe DeMarco character Lawson creates is interesting (though maybe he could be a little more rough around the edges). Nevertheless a very satisfying read. Hoping the DeMarco series is as enjoyable as this one.

[ElaineY · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; MAY 31, 2017
Narrator: Joe Barrett

The best parts of this book for me were the blurb and the epilogue. Between those two, the story as described in the book's blurb was played out in a convoluted manner. It's a simple plot - "the FBI, the NSA, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs—they were all stomping around the cage, dancing with each other, and if DeMarco’s little mouse ass tried something, one of the elephants was going to squash him." There's no mystery here - we know who and what the players are from the start, the storyline is linear with no irritating flashbacks and takes us to a smooth ending where everyone gets what he deserves. Sorta. In my opinion, Bradford today would have been awarded a medal by President Trump and, if at all, incarcerated at Mar A Lago.

What pulled me out of the story several times and affected my enjoyment and concentration, however, was Joe DeMarco hunting high and low for Russo's will and getting nowhere. He asks Russo's friends, searches Russo's house, even makes appointment with a lawyer who specializes in wills, all to no avail. DeMarco may never have practised as a lawyer but I'm not a lawyer and I know that a will is public record once it's gone through probate. All DeMarco had to do was to check with the Probate Court and he would have been allowed to view the will, if Russo did file one in the first place. And if DeMarco was that ignorant, what about that lawyer specializing in wills? I didn't expect the author not to have known this.

While Joe Barrett did an excellent job narrating, I believe I would have enjoyed the book more if I'd read it instead of listened to it because I found I had to stop the audio to read certain portions so that I could connect the dots. This exasperated me since, as I mentioned earlier, it's a simple storyline. Unfortunately for me, but not for others, it was like a plate of lasagna (neat layers) which turned into a plate of angel hair pasta - the little threads got too tiring to follow.

So, to my utter relief, the epilogue saves the day. It was a very long epilogue and told me the entire synopsis such that I needn't have listened to the whole book (and been spared that annoying detail about finding Russo's will). I was like Mahoney who wakes up from his coma and DeMarco relates to his boss what happened 'while you were sleeping', which, to me, could be the subtitle of the book.

In conclusion, this book barely gets 3 stars and only because I can empathize with the dilemma the characters face, especially in our age of domestic terrorism. I didn't enjoy the telling, which I thought was horribly done, but will still try another DeMarco book.

[Spicydish · Rating 3 out of 5]

House Divided #6
In a surprising deviation from the core group of regulars, absent were Senator Mahoney and the mysterious and wealthy Emma and her lover Christine. Mahoney was in a coma. Emma and Christine were on vacation.
The primary mystery was the death of DeMarco’s distant cousin Paul Russo. Unlike DeMarco’s father mob connect, Paul Russo, a nurse with a heart of gold and nearly saintly life of community service, was related on DeMarco’s mother’s side, the upstanding relatives. At his mother’s urging, DeMarco was tasked with his handling his cousin’s final arrangements because Russo was single and childless and his few close relatives were in their 80s. So with DeMarco’s girlfriend of the moment doing undercover work in Afghanistan and Mahoney in the hospital DeMarco had the perfect opportunity to indulge in his favorite pastime, golf. But what kind of Mike Lawson book would it be if everything went according to plan?
The secondary plot was the competing turf war involving the Department of Defense, The National Security Agency, The Pentagon and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all operations in the name of The Warren on Terror so called after 9/11.
Every unspeakable act you can imagine was done in the name of keeping the country safe. There were warrantless surveillance of suspects both foreign and domestic, a slew of assassinations both foreign and domestic of ordinary citizens who got in the way of the mission as well as high ranking foreign government officials. If word of this unethical and illegal activity was made public all hell would break loose.
A dying military general in Russo’s care made a recording of these dastardly deeds and named the perpetrators and instructed Russo to give it to Robert Hanson, reporter.

I have my ongoing complaint about the author’s books: two many characters which is why I gave the novel only a three star rating.

[Samyann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot. Joe DeMarco, a guy in his late 30s, has a law degree but cannot find a job because he is the son of a deceased mafia hitman. Joe has never been involved with the mob in any way; he's never even owned a gun. Joe gets a job working in the Capitol. Seems the Speaker of the House had an affair with Joe's aunt and she calls in a favor. Joe is a decent guy, divorced, a bit of a horn dog, lazy, and would rather be playing golf. Speaker of the House John Mahone is a demanding alcoholic, a womanizer, as crooked as all politicians, feared by everyone who knows him - except his wife - a gal everyone adores. Mahone has a few redeeming traits, like a love of the veteran. There is another character of interest. Emma is a woman of high moral standards, a retired deep black ops gal that knows everyone and everything. She hates Mahone because she knows he's a typically devious politician but treats Joe as an annoying younger brother.

The series consists of several full-length novels - each with a beginning - middle - end, meaning you don't have to start with book one, The Inside Ring - but it will help with continuity. Bribing for votes, blackmail, dirty politicians and cops from the FBI to local police, heroic war veterans, and many good guys. From the basement of the capitol to alligator swamps, the series contains a wide range of plots. Narration is fine - Scott Brick does the first two books, Joe Barrett the remainder - no issues with either.

The Joe DeMarco Series is written by Michael Lawson, each book in the area of 10 hours of listening in unabridged audiobook format, released starting in 2005 through today by Random House and Blackstone Publishing.

Entertaining.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the other books I've read in this series, Joe DeMarco is not so much a hero as a stubborn, sonofabitch that gets caught up in other people's messes. In this one, a distant cousin is gunned down at the Iwo Jima Memorial and he doesn't quite buy the FBI's story about how things went down - a drug deal gone bad. He starts poking around and draws the attention of two factions of the Defense Department that are both involved in his cousin's death. Most of the story involves the characters in the NSA and Pentagon. Joe is just along for the ride. Again.

After a long, slow build up (Mike Lawson has a very relaxed writing style), the pace picked up about 2/3 of the way through the book. So did my interest and I hung on to the end. For a political suspense story, I feel like that first 2/3 should have been compressed to about half its length. Or stuffed with more action. It's mostly just talk and analysis.

I give it three stars for being a solid, though not sizzling, suspense story.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was solid, simple entertainment yet truly nothing exceedingly special. But it took place in the Washington DC area, and there were many Falls Church, VA references - the town where I grew up. The references were spot on, for example, the reference to Tuckahoe Park. I am not sure how a guy that lives in the northwest knew how the bushes and stands were positioned around an elementary school baseball diamond, but he did. I am probably only one of a handful of people that have been to the places he described, but it added another dimension to the story for me. The fact that he got them right was a real plus. (Balducci needs to take a lesson - he lived in Vienna, VA and often gets his references wrong.)

[Susan Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have concerns about the NSA and still enjoy a modicum of belief in the sanctity of your right to privacy hang on to it and don’t read this book. It’s daunting to read and filled with enough truths that may just have you covering every camera in all your electronic equipment and suspicious any time you wake up with a headache you can’t explain. All kidding aside, as every DeMarco book so far this book is very good and thought provoking. I must say Joe’s callousness regarding Mahoney’s hospitalization is a little over-the-top and he could have shown a little more concern, even given Mary Pat maybe a couple more of calls of compassion and visits. Come on Mr. Lawson, give DeMarco a little bit of a heart. ;)

[Julius Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Mike Lawson books and this was another example of a good read. I've said it previously, if you like John Grisham and want to a change, read Mike Lawson. Lawson is a former Federal Civil servant and all of his material serves around Capitol Hill. (And the DC area and DC neighboring areas and institutions, landmarks and agencies and organizations). You will be traveling to DC in his books, but you'll also have an occasional visit to Afghanistan or some other place that might have a terrorist or two snooping around.

If that doesn't give you a sense of the type of novel you'll read if you pick up a Mike Lawson book, then nothing will. But I've just saved you some time. I don't believe you'll be disappointed if you give his material a try. Bon Voyage!

[Dan Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few years have slipped by since I read a Mike Lawson book. In the meantime, he has offered up a few titles as M.A. Lawson. I have bought the DeMarco titles and some of the others, too. "House Divided" is the best of his work I've read so far. He keeps improving.
This time out the tension and suspense really do rachet up, and several memorable characters grace the pages. As usual, DeMarco doesn't knock down doors, shoot people, or even come off as terribly effective until his final move.
Recommended.

[Kodakjack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good enough that it should be made into a screenplay and movie. Big Brother has been proven to be always watching, but this narrative takes it to a whole new level of intrigue. Not only are agencies watching you, but they’re watching each other and fighting among themselves. As in most DeMarco tales, he is an unsuspecting idiot who gets drawn into a swirling mess. My only complaint about his character is that he never so much as carries a pocket knife and always does one stupid thing that puts his life in danger. Enjoy.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one squiggled me out a bit as a part time conspiracy theorist. Once again it feels like events have thrown the protagonist into the passenger seat, this time we see him actively fighting to get out. It also seems like the author has realized how overwhelming the character of Emma can be and is working on new and novel ways of keeping her from participating. While understandable, I miss her perspective and voice of morality in skulduggery

[Viva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead:

I read this book for DeMarco. But this plot has too many POVs (3 I think) and never really explains who is who. The lack of explanation and the switching from POV made this unreadable for me and even though I wanted to find out what the ending was, I'm here for DeMarco and there wasn't enough of him to make it worthwhile. I dnf'd it about halfway through and was happy to get to the next book in the series.

[Joseph Hilden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Lawson is quickly moving up my list of preferred authors. His fiction is so well structured that one can see the possibility of his plots are nonfiction . This page turner was a delightful journey into the world of the NSA , FBI, and the criminal justice system plus the Pentagon and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Do yourself a favor and read the Joe DeMarco series in order. Thank You Mr Lawson for a job well done..

[Denise Malayeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but not enough Demarco

Interesting book but I missed having Demarco lead the tale. This had other characters primarily in the focus and I missed more of Demarco. Two of the primary characters had similar names but represented different agencies and that was a bit confusing. Wouldn't skip this book but not quite as good as others in the series.

[Regina Roach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diverting read

Thriller about government military and security officials who firmly believe the ends justifies the means and are willing to ignore the law to do what they believe is needed to protect U.S. interests.

[Cathy Biggers · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of Mike Lawson's I've read but you can rest assured I will be going back and reading the first five and then his other novels. Interesting, intriguing, and complete with the political background of Washington, D.C. which keeps readers spellbound from beginning to end.

[Bruce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stupid

Just a bunch of names with a way over complicated plot. Really it's no plot because of all the Yada Yada Yada and bull about how tough and smart everyone is. Good grief give it a break

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the series had Joe on his own -- no Mahoney, no Emma, no girlfriend to help...and he did fine. Other major players in the government were at the heart of this NSA vs. Pentagon vs. 'bad guys'. It isn't quite a 4 star, but 3.75 seems like quibbling.

[Margaret M Knepper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, it started as the typical mystery thriller with sooooo many characters. Trying to figure out how they all relate. But the book flowed. Unfortunately it is the 6th in the series and I started here, but it didn't seem to matter too much

[Kathryn Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, but I prefer heroes to have clear ideas of truth and falsehood. One of the main characters believes there is a wavy gray line between black and white. This leads to somewhat of a feeling that the end justifies the means. It has some surprises.

[Christine Thome · Rating 1 out of 5]

No Mahoney. No Emma. I really miss the characters and dialogue from the first 4 books and feel that books 5 & 6 should have been stand alone stories - they just don't have the DeMarco flair. I was committed to reading all 15 but I think I'll take a break for a while.