The Capitol Center Murder

Sled Investigation #2

by Mike Gilmore

A body falling 20 stories to the top floor of a parking deck sustains unsightly damage. It was almost enough to disguise a .22 caliber bullet wound as the real cause of death.

The victim was a South Carolina state employee working at the time of his death in an office rented by the state within the Capitol Center Building. The building lies within the heart of the state capitol and the law mandates that SLED lead the investigation.

Tommy Marks and Cathy Motts of the State Law Enforcement Division once again lead their team of investigators looking into the death of Paul Lawrence. Very quickly, they discover the victim may have brought about his own death. Thousands of dollars hidden in a bank lockbox indicates Lawrence was taking kickbacks for state contracts issued by his department. When they discover money from a blotched Drug Enforcement Agency undercover operation mixed with the victim’s money, the DEA joins the chase for the killer. Soon after, the Federal Bureau of Investigation worms their way into the SLED investigation when it appears crimes have crossed state borders.

One victim and many potential suspects keep the investigators chasing down clues and lead to more questions than answers. All the while, a team of deadly hired killers waits in silence for
their own quarry to appear. In and around the Capitol Center Building the case develops. The tallest building in South Carolina may be the deadliest.

Genres: Mystery

234 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2015

About the author

At 15 years of age, Mike Gilmore started working for his uncle’s wholesale firm selling candy and tobacco products to small family owned grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants becoming the general manager by the time he was 23. It was a male dominated business at the time and he worked with men who had lived through The Great Depression and World War II.
In 1986, he shifted to the wholesale electrical and plumbing distribution business where he started to learn his current trade. He filled positions as operation manager, branch manager, and regional branch manager in Ohio, Florida, and finally the coastal area of South Carolina.
In 2003, he took a position with one of the world’s largest and most respected manufacture of plumbing fixtures for both residential and commercial products. He has worked as an account manager, market development specialist, and now as a national account manager servicing only one trade distributor that covers the United States, Mexico, and Canada with a sales force of over 1100 associates.
He is the author of the Levels of Power novels featuring United States Senator Randy Fisher. 2013 saw the release of The Senator and The Legislator. His followers will see three Level of Power sequels released in 2014. That same year he released a little gem called The Toilet Salesman…the oh so Necessary Guy. The book covers incidents from 25 years of selling plumbing and electrical products. In 2015, he plans to release the next edition in the Levels of Power Series: The Vice President.
He lives in South Carolina with his wife and two cats.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this novel in a goodreads drawing.

Really, I wish I could give this book another half a star.

It's about a South Carolina State Police Unit investigating the suspicious death of a state worker.

Part of the SLED stories, the book tries several things, but the execution just isn't quite there. The characters aren't really memorable. The dialogue isn't crisp. The setting never really comes alive. The puzzle isn't much at all. Lastly, the chapter divisions seem a little wonky to me.

Still, the book is very readable, a victory in itself that many writers never achieve. There is an exciting car chase, which seems to be a dying art.

With a little polishing, this could be really good book, and the author's enthusiasm comes through, but it just isn't quite enough.