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Dev Conrad #2
Stranglehold: A Mystery
Award-winning author Ed Gorman is back with political consultant and troubleshooter Dev Conrad, in this riveting sequel. When Dev Conrad agreed to work with Congresswoman Susan Cooper, member of a prominent political family, he didn’t know that the worst threat her reelection campaign would face would come from Cooper herself. The congresswoman has a secret she’s not willing to share with Dev, forcing him to follow her the way a detective would. But the campaign is burdened with other problems as well, starting with the murder of scandal-plagued political consultant Monica Davies. Rumor has it she had some information that would destroy Susan Cooper’s campaign. In the wake of another murder, another blackmailer, and two or three suspicious relationships, Dev must figure out who is trying to sabotage the campaign.
A rip-roaring ride, Stranglehold will win your vote.
A rip-roaring ride, Stranglehold will win your vote.
- GenresMystery
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2010
4 people are currently reading
26 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 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 4, 2010
Back when I was in college, I worked in a couple of political campaigns. Dev Conrad, the political consultant/boss in Ed Gorman's adroit mystery, is somebody I'd like to have met there. Dev is divorced but wiser and more sensitive in his 40s. A couple of murders are committed striking close to the re-election campaign that Dev is running, as if the politics didn't give him enough headaches. I liked this story and protagonist.
December 30, 2011
Political consultant Dev Conrad's company was working for Congressman Susan Cooper's reelection campaign. Because of that, he got called in when she starting acting erratically, disappearing for a time almost every day, blowing a debate with her opponent.
She didn't want to talk about it and he began following her to learn what she was desperate to keep hidden. At a motel she stopped at, he enters the room she was in after she left. It was a mess, beer cans, blood on a dresser.
A scandal-plagued political consultant, Monica Davies, is murdered. A young man was seen running from the scene. Cooper is seen arguing with a red-headed man who'd also been at the dead woman's room. Another murder happens.
Dev is trying to figure out what's going on even as reporters get wind of it and the campaign starts spinning out of control. Ed Gorman has worked in politics and knows his business.
This is one his better mysteries.
She didn't want to talk about it and he began following her to learn what she was desperate to keep hidden. At a motel she stopped at, he enters the room she was in after she left. It was a mess, beer cans, blood on a dresser.
A scandal-plagued political consultant, Monica Davies, is murdered. A young man was seen running from the scene. Cooper is seen arguing with a red-headed man who'd also been at the dead woman's room. Another murder happens.
Dev is trying to figure out what's going on even as reporters get wind of it and the campaign starts spinning out of control. Ed Gorman has worked in politics and knows his business.
This is one his better mysteries.
March 8, 2019
I like Ed Gorman's writing, it is light, easy to read, & entertaining.
Dev, is a political consultant; when one of his clients, Congresswoman Susan Cooper, begins to act irrationally; not showing up for meetings, interviewing poorly, & showing signs of fear; Dev begins investigating.
He comes across a murdered mud-slinging journalist, a red-haired sociopath, a young frightened kid & his wife, and an abused hair-dresser all having a connection to the Congresswoman.
To make matters worse is the Congresswoman's megalomaniac of a step-mother a rich powerful interfering nasty piece of work.
Murder, blackmail, abuse all in a peaceful little town where most everyone has something to hide and a whole lot to lose.
Dev, is a political consultant; when one of his clients, Congresswoman Susan Cooper, begins to act irrationally; not showing up for meetings, interviewing poorly, & showing signs of fear; Dev begins investigating.
He comes across a murdered mud-slinging journalist, a red-haired sociopath, a young frightened kid & his wife, and an abused hair-dresser all having a connection to the Congresswoman.
To make matters worse is the Congresswoman's megalomaniac of a step-mother a rich powerful interfering nasty piece of work.
Murder, blackmail, abuse all in a peaceful little town where most everyone has something to hide and a whole lot to lose.
April 10, 2021
Political consultant Dev Conrad is working for Congresswoman Susan Cooper for her reelection campaign.
The Congresswoman has been acting odd as of late, and Conrad sets out to find out why....
Bodies soon start turning up....
The second book in the series, and I really enjoyed it.
Ed Gorman was on of my favorite writers. (RIP)
A nice look at the behind the scenes of a campaign. And Gorman's humour sprinkled thru out.
The Congresswoman has been acting odd as of late, and Conrad sets out to find out why....
Bodies soon start turning up....
The second book in the series, and I really enjoyed it.
Ed Gorman was on of my favorite writers. (RIP)
A nice look at the behind the scenes of a campaign. And Gorman's humour sprinkled thru out.
March 18, 2017
Good political mystery. Gorman' work in the political world shines through.
May 24, 2012
It was swimming along as a 3 but, I swear, he must have been told to wind things up in two hours or else, because the end is jumpy, jerky and frustratingly incomplete. This is my first book by the author. It was on the New Books shelf at the library and sounded interesting. The first three-quarters was good.
August 18, 2011
This is written from the standpoint of a political campaign manager, who is faced with a family crisis she brings to him in order to solve-- which he does, only to create much bigger troubles for the candidate. Light, but well done.
January 25, 2012
2.5 stars
As a former pollster, it was fun to have a mystery set inside a political campaign.
Well written but not much substance to it; the who-dun-it was obvious.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the protagonist, Dev Conrad (campaign consultant and ex-Army spook) and will look for next in series.
As a former pollster, it was fun to have a mystery set inside a political campaign.
Well written but not much substance to it; the who-dun-it was obvious.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the protagonist, Dev Conrad (campaign consultant and ex-Army spook) and will look for next in series.
December 27, 2010
Yet another mystery with minimal character development. And of course, at the end the most unlikely character was the one "who did it."
May 4, 2011
A fun romp through the messy backwaters of the election process. I'm glad there weren't any murders associated with any of the campaigns I worked on!
December 31, 2010
good read, politics and murder perfect bedfellows
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews