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Dev Conrad #3
Blindside
The new Dev Conrad mystery from the author of the Sam McCain and Jack Dwyer series - Political consultant Dev Conrad knows that helping Congressman Michael Robards to get re-elected is going to be tough. Robards’ liberal voting record stands against him, and his staff seem resentful of Dev himself – which could doom the campaign. But there’s a bigger problem. A campaign worker has been shot behind Robards’ headquarters. Both Dev and the police presume it was a mugging, but as the election draws near, Robards is implicated in the murder by his enemies . . .
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2011
4 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Ed Gorman
468 books121 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 27, 2021
Another entertaining mystery featuring Political Consultant Dev Conrad.
This time, Dev is helping Congressman Jeff Ward in his re-election campaign. Ward and Dev don't much care for each other. Dev is only helping as a favor to Ward's father.
A spy seems to be feeding information to the rival side....and soon after Dev arrives, a speech writer is found murdered in the parking lot.
Things don't get any easier for Conrad, as he tries to solve those two mysteries and get his client re-elected.
An enjoyable story, with both humour and serious real life issues...
This time, Dev is helping Congressman Jeff Ward in his re-election campaign. Ward and Dev don't much care for each other. Dev is only helping as a favor to Ward's father.
A spy seems to be feeding information to the rival side....and soon after Dev arrives, a speech writer is found murdered in the parking lot.
Things don't get any easier for Conrad, as he tries to solve those two mysteries and get his client re-elected.
An enjoyable story, with both humour and serious real life issues...
May 20, 2012
Ed Gorman jumps right in on page 1 of his new novel by telling the reader that his protagonist in this series, Dev Conrad, is among “a large number of people at a political rally [who] are carrying guns and assault weapons.” Dev is a political consultant, and he is checking out the opposition, Rusty Burkhart. The latter is described as a 63-year-old multimillionaire whose aim, Dev believes, tongue only slightly in cheek, is out to “prove once and for all that the president was a Muslim Manchurian Candidate.”
Any resemblance between these characters and their real-life counterparts is, of course, completely intentional. The candidate’s mantra is that he is one of the people, just like them - - except perhaps for the fact that he went to Yale and inherited ten million dollars when he turned 25. Dev, former army intelligence, is asked by Tom Ward to oversee the campaign of his son, Congressman Jeff Ward. Tom believes there is a spy hidden somewhere among the campaign workers. Almost immediately after being brought on board, serious problems arise when one of Ward’s people is murdered in his headquarters’ parking lot, and another goes missing.
The book is filled with terrific writing and personal political outlook: “For a few minutes I allowed myself to enjoy the afternoon. I watched hawks ride the air currents and smelled the smoky scent of the breeze and saw the surrounding hills melancholy with leaves that were beautiful in their dying. This was the season of Halloween and football Saturdays and long walks to watch the shadows stretch as dusk came early now. To hell with the Burkharts and Sylvias. If they had their way they’d strip-mine and cut down everything that made the landscape godly. They’d also start revising textbooks the way Texas and a few other states already had - - you know, the John Wayne mythic America. There was a time in my life when I occasionally voted for men and women of the other side. But that party and those people had no place in the opposition anymore.” But the author also makes clear his point that “despite the bankers and the bought-and-paid-for Congress and the haters and the madmen . . . as yet we still had a country that we could rightly be proud of.”
I suspect that this book might be more appreciated by the more liberal-leaning readers than others, but the writing is so delightfully humorous (despite its more barbed content) as to perhaps (and hopefully) charm others as well. And I hasten to add that despite the humor, some very serious issues are raised. This is a fast and very engaging read, with the action ratcheting up as the end nears as the politics takes a back seat and the mystery/whodunit aspect comes to the forefront. Whether or not you will enjoy this book may depend on your own political views, and I realize that my own may become apparent when I say that I loved it, and that it is recommended.
Parenthetically, and after noting that I have greatly enjoyed Mr. Gorman’s past books, especially the terrific “Ticket to Ride,” published in late 2009, I smiled to read that the author’s website is www.newimprovedgorman.com.
Any resemblance between these characters and their real-life counterparts is, of course, completely intentional. The candidate’s mantra is that he is one of the people, just like them - - except perhaps for the fact that he went to Yale and inherited ten million dollars when he turned 25. Dev, former army intelligence, is asked by Tom Ward to oversee the campaign of his son, Congressman Jeff Ward. Tom believes there is a spy hidden somewhere among the campaign workers. Almost immediately after being brought on board, serious problems arise when one of Ward’s people is murdered in his headquarters’ parking lot, and another goes missing.
The book is filled with terrific writing and personal political outlook: “For a few minutes I allowed myself to enjoy the afternoon. I watched hawks ride the air currents and smelled the smoky scent of the breeze and saw the surrounding hills melancholy with leaves that were beautiful in their dying. This was the season of Halloween and football Saturdays and long walks to watch the shadows stretch as dusk came early now. To hell with the Burkharts and Sylvias. If they had their way they’d strip-mine and cut down everything that made the landscape godly. They’d also start revising textbooks the way Texas and a few other states already had - - you know, the John Wayne mythic America. There was a time in my life when I occasionally voted for men and women of the other side. But that party and those people had no place in the opposition anymore.” But the author also makes clear his point that “despite the bankers and the bought-and-paid-for Congress and the haters and the madmen . . . as yet we still had a country that we could rightly be proud of.”
I suspect that this book might be more appreciated by the more liberal-leaning readers than others, but the writing is so delightfully humorous (despite its more barbed content) as to perhaps (and hopefully) charm others as well. And I hasten to add that despite the humor, some very serious issues are raised. This is a fast and very engaging read, with the action ratcheting up as the end nears as the politics takes a back seat and the mystery/whodunit aspect comes to the forefront. Whether or not you will enjoy this book may depend on your own political views, and I realize that my own may become apparent when I say that I loved it, and that it is recommended.
Parenthetically, and after noting that I have greatly enjoyed Mr. Gorman’s past books, especially the terrific “Ticket to Ride,” published in late 2009, I smiled to read that the author’s website is www.newimprovedgorman.com.
March 30, 2012
One of his best. Ending is not great. He has the ability to write different types of books (see his Sam McCain series).
February 10, 2013
This book was fun because of the political consultant scenario. I haven't read Ed Gorman is awhile, but I think I'll look for his other books about Dev Conrad.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews