The Asset: A Joe DeMarco Thriller

by Mike Lawson

In the middle of the night, on a winding road in a suburb outside of Washington D.C., a homeless veteran is killed in a hit-and-run—a tragedy that barely catches the attention of the media and police.

Days later, John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House, is confronted by Diane Lake, an ex-CIA agent turned political researcher with a knack for digging up unsavory intelligence on some of D.C.’s biggest players. Diane is there with a gift for Mahoney: the news that Lydia Chang, the wife of one of his biggest rivals, might be working undercover as a Chinese agent.

Knowing it’s too early to get the FBI involved, Mahoney does the only thing left to do. He calls in Joe DeMarco.

DeMarco might not have the title of political researcher, but he’s no stranger to digging up dirt either. As DeMarco starts his investigation, he soon learns there’s a lot more going on than Mahoney suspected, and instead of answers, all he finds are more questions. Who’s the mysterious man Lydia Chang has been meeting in the park? Does Diane Lake have an ulterior motive? And why does everything point back to a random hit-and-run?

Genres: Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 3, 2026

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

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Mike Lawson, and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Mike Lawson returns with another great Joe DeMarco novel, sure to impress series fans! A homeless vet is killed on a backroad outside Washington, DC. No one seems to take notice and the driver soon flees the scene. Days later, Diane Lake appears in the office of the House Minority Leader, John Mahoney, he is all ears. Lake has ways of getting intel on people of the most salacious variety and Mahoney is always ready for the next election cycle. Lake brings news that the wife of the Senate Majority Leader has been seen liaising with the Chinese and could be acting as an enemy agent. Mahoney is interested and turns to his fixer, Joe DeMarco, to check into the intel. DeMarco loves digging up dirt and discovers that there is a lot more to the story. He links Diane Lake's news with Lydia Chang, the senator's wife, and a video that is being used against her about a hit-and-run. Now, DeMarco must determine what Lake has to do with all this. Working the case like only he can, DeMarco finds a thread to follow, unsure what will come of it all. Lawson pens another great piece that I could not stop reading!

I have long enjoyed the work of Mike Lawson and this series in particular. Lawson delivers a strong story that keeps the reader focused on the political situation in DC and crimes at hand. The story develops with a clear narrative, building on past novels and the intense action within this novel. Momentum pushes things along as the pieces come together with each passing chapter. Mixing politics with a little mystery work, Lawson hooks the reader and makes this piece one that holds the attention of all until the very end.

Characters are impactful as their backstories connect well with ongoing development. Readers are presented more Joe DeMarco and John Mahoney, both of whom have long ensured their backstories are known to series fans. Still, there is great banter between them as the piece develops. Tossing in some strong secondary characters, Lawson keeps things intriguing for series fans. Many characters are able to push the plot along while flavouring the piece with their respective layers before all comes together at the right moment.

Surprises are core in a thriller of this nature, as it creates an entertaining foundation, which Lawson has been doing throughout this series. Balancing twists and surprises adds something more to the reading experience and provides something for the reader to enjoy as they try to see how things will solve themselves. The reader may bask in the great things that DeMarco does and situations in which he finds himself, while remaining sure that he will get himself out of another mess. This is a wonderful series and Mike Lawson has done well by the reader.

Kudos, Mr. Lawson for another great thriller in this series!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Asset” by Mike Lawson is the newest thriller in the Joe DeMarco series. I have been a fan of Joe’s for a long time and each new book is a must read for me, and this book did not disappoint!
Joe is a fixer and works for the former speaker of the house. He learns that the wife of a powerful nemesis is possibly working with a foreign entity and his job is to find out what is really going on. The investigation sets off a series of events full of political intrigue involving a powerful senator, a vengeful billionaire, a blackmailer, and a Chinese spy.
The book is edgy, full of suspense, and our unorthodox golf loving hero is back fully leading the way to a very satisfying ending.
I highly recommend to all thriller fans and new readers, this book can be read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Nick Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a massive fan of both the author and his DeMarco series, so was delighted to read this.
Joe DeMarco is a fixer for John Mahoney, minority leader of the House of Representatives and formally a Democrat Speaker of the House. DeMarco does his off the books jobs.
Here Mahoney is handed a gift, the wife of a political opponent might be a Chinese asset, so Mahoney has DeMarco do some quiet digging. It turns out some gifts are not quite what they appear. DeMarco would much rather be playing golf but his boss is somewhat demanding.
As always, clever and witty plotting and properly fleshed out characters. A series that doesn’t ever drop in quality. For some reason they haven’t really taken off in the UK which means a lot of people are missing out on some terrific writing.

Very grateful to the publishers for a review copy

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Mike Lawson, and after the last one, I had promised myself I’d read more from this author. And I’m still holding true to that promise! I just need to go back and read all the books in the series. Thanks a bunch to NetGalley for sending me this advance copy!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Mike Lawson (author) and Joe DeMarco (book character extraordinaire). What a team. Needless to say, I’m always looking forward to Mr Lawson’s next book.

The Asset starts out strong – well-written and good plot. Joe is trying to track down someone who has some information about a political rival of Joe’s boss, former Speaker of the House, John Mahoney. Before that search is resolved, Joe’s handed an additional problem. The wife of another powerful political rival (Mahoney has a lot of those) has been observed meeting with member of the Chinese embassy. Joe’s job is to determine if this woman has been compromised or, worse yet, she’s become an asset to the Chinese government. Joe’s plate is definitely full.

With this kind of beginning, I expected to lose sleep as I raced to the end of the book. But, part way through it seemed to slow down as Joe tried to figure out how to resolve the issues without involving innocent bystanders. Most of the story is related by Joe, but there is a portion that’s told from the point of view of another character.

Simply put, I missed Joe and I think the book did too. The other missing piece was Emma, a woman who is often involved in some way with Joe’s investigations. She’s truly a foil for DeMarco and Mahoney and she always adds so much to the plots and storyline.

The Asset isn’t my favorite book in the series, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not already impatiently waiting for the next book to appear. It’s 3.5 stars for me but I’ll round it up to 4 stars. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

[Savonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers love Joe DeMarco, not because he is so good, but because he isn't. He often bends rules, sometimes breaks them, to get the job done. He's a lawyer ostensibly working for any House member who needs his help, but he actually serves only one person--John Mahoney, House Minority Leader. The task at hand starts out as a simple surveillance job, watching Lydia Chang, the Chinese wife of "Dutch" McMillian, the Republican leader of the Senate. Mahoney and McMillian hate each other, so when former CIA operative and current political oppo researcher Diane Lake approaches Mahoney with the assertion that Chang is a Chinese agent, Mahoney would love to use the info to sink his nemesis. But he's been around long enough to know that as much as he'd like to believe Lake, nothing in D.C. happens this easily. He suspects some kind of setup and sends DeMarco to figure it all out. The ensuing investigation has DeMarco grappling with double-crosses, security threats, political intrigue, and murder. One misstep, and DeMarco could destroy lives, careers, and global peace.

DeMarco is one of my favorite characters. He looks like the mobster his father actually was, sometimes even acts a little like him, but he usually tempers that with intelligence and humanity. He's a good guy, a closet softie, who sometimes skirts legal limits to keep Mahoney and himself out of trouble. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this installment in a series that never seems to get stale.

Thanks to the author, Grove Atlantic, and NetGalley for a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Thomas Trang · Rating 4 out of 5]

My third book in the series. I got hooked after Kingpin and have been following Mike Lawson and the adventures of his Washington DC fixer Joe DeMarco ever since. They're an easy read but smart and filled with enough character to set them a touch above the average book in this genre (Capitol thriller, political conspiracy, whatever you want to call it). They really should be a lot more well known, but I suppose this is a crowded space on the bookshelves with a lot of huge names.

If you want the familiar thrills and spills of a crime thriller, Washington skulduggery and tradecraft, these books fit the bill to perfection. There's also enough cynical humor and offbeat dialogue to keeps things interesting.

You can jump in at any point in the series I think - I certainly did, because Kingpin is number 16, and at no point have I ever been confused about the characters or what's going on. The publisher is Grove Atlantic, though I think this one has been spun off to a new crime imprint. Morgan Entrekin has always done very interesting things, so always worth checking out whatever 'genre' stuff they are publishing. They're the ones who brought James Lee Burke to the world.

Many thanks to Atlantic Crime for the ARC.

[Stephen Bochniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Asset by Mike Lawson follows Joe DeMarco, a man who works for John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House. On paper, he’s a lawyer with an office in the basement of Capitol Hill, and his services can be used by anyone in the building who needs legal aid. But in truth, he’s a fixer of sorts for Mahoney. After a conversation with Diane Lake, he learns that the wife of a powerful nemesis is possibly working with a foreign entity. Instead of turning her in he sends DeMarco to find out precisely what is going on. As he delves deeper into the facts around the case, it becomes more complex, and everything is not as it seems.
This was my first time reading a book by Mike Lawson, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only is it well-written, but the story also keeps you engaged the whole time. His characters come to life on the pages, and I enjoyed every twist and turn in this political thriller. I’m going to go back and read some other books in the series. I highly recommend that others read this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Mike Lawson, Grove Atlantic, and Atlantic Crimes for allowing me to read the advanced copy.

[Howard Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
The Asset is an exciting book with an insight into what actually happens in the world of Washington politics. Although it is fiction, it is, unfortunately, very believable. There is a plethora of action including a hit and run accident, buying election votes with help from a pastor, digging up dirt on political candidates, pig slaughters, clandestine meetings in a park and, of course, a man employed as a fixer. The writing is interesting and extremely descriptive and includes items such as “….they wouldn’t talk if you wired their nuts to a battery “ or “…..are one of those guys who could hardly see, walk, or think and was a barely breathing advertisement for term limits “ or “….landed in a bunker, one that was deeper than a Kentucky coal mine….”. This book is highly recommended for all readers and I thank NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and, of course, the author for the opportunity to read this novel prior to publication.

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Lawson writes fast paced, political thrillers with engaging characters, lots of action, and more than a few unexpected twists. Although this is the 19th book in this series they never get stale. Mike Lawson does an excellent job of keeping them fresh with each new story. Although this can easily be read as a stand alone I recommend starting with the first book, "Inside Ring," and reading the entire series in order. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Crime for an advanced reader copy

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional Read. This is the nineteenth book I’ve read in this series and I’ve absolutely loved every one of them. Mike Lawson certainly deserves all the praise he has received for his books. He puts just as much work into the characters as he does on the plot. Jo De Marco is definitely one of my favourite characters, he’s a no-nonsense guy that gets the job done. I’m also a big fan of John Mahoney, he is one of many characters that make these stories so good. This book is well worth a read. 5/5 Star Rating

[Loy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Asset by Mike Lawson is the latest installment in the long-term Joe DeMarco series. I have read them all and this one is good.
Diane Lake shows up at the House Minority Leader, John Mahoney’s office telling stories about Mahoney’s arch enemy in the house. Mahoney sends his fixer out Joe DeMarco to find out more.
Joe goes out and finds out that the wife is being extorted with a video of her daughter hitting a homeless vet.
This is a solid story and I really enjoyed it. Reading some or all of the earlier books helps with the enjoyment.
Highly recommended

[Doug Yonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Mahoney wants, he gets. And Joe DeMarco is the man to get it done. Two cases in this story, but totally unrelated . When a political opponent’s daughter is framed, Demarco is sent to figure who, why, and how. I only wish the “Big Money” had been outed. The backwoods are hiding Mookie, who is the key to the other case. good characters and excellent plot unwinding. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Likestotravel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great DeMarco book in the ongoing series. Easy to read as a standalone since one of the series characters is out of action for this thriller. Several tense stories twine together to reach a startling ending!

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Henny Loker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heart-pumping, high-stakes thriller that had me on the edge of my seat!

[T Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an interesting and very good plot, and the characters are great. However, the story has too many details and descriptions that really aren't necessary.