Two grisly murders and a deadly firefight on the Woodrow Wilson bridge put Mo Katz, U.S. Attorney EDVA, on a collision course with a rogue intelligence operative and a sinister person of interest.
John Wasowicz, a seasoned attorney, is the author of the Mo Katz mystery series, including Slaters Lane (2020), Jones Point (2019), and Daingerfield Island (2017). The books feature fictional U.S. Attorney Mo Katz and are set in Alexandria, VA. Wasowicz has over 35 years of legal experience, including work as a state prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney.
This is a very nicely plotted, suspenseful page-turner! We encounter local law enforcement together with US attorney Mo Katz gradually becoming aware of a clandestine operation, orchestrated by another branch of the US government. The author writes in short chapters, each just a few pages in length, each adding tension to the story or releasing it through action.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a cast of characters, both good and bad. I was drawn into the story enough that I found myself hoping the good guys would not be harmed. And the ending leaves one with the feeling that protagonist Katz will be matched again with antagonist Landry in a future novel by the author. To the extent fiction is a mirror on real life, sometimes the outcome is that a bad guy gets ahead, at least for a while.
Finally, it was fun to read a book where the action takes place at locations near where I live and that I know about.
On a side note, this is a book I learned about from the local bookstore, One More Page Books. I ordered it, and after a couple of weeks, I checked in again to find out the status. The book had not yet been delivered to them. A week ago, I got a call from the author, who lives in the DC area, asking whether he could drop off a copy to my house. Wow! That does not happen every day, in fact this is the first time I had a hand-delivered book by an author.
To the author: Thank you, and look forward to reading more of your books.
Continuing the Mo Katz saga, I started at book 3, Slaters Lane, and went back to books 1 and now 2. Jones Point finds the characters a bit more developed, and my favorites are back on task. Mo Katz is a real likable local lawyer, and his friends and colleagues are finding their place in his world and their own. The basic story is the same - there is a murder near Alexandria, Virginia, and Mo Katz is on a case that reveals some suspicious activity to him. His natural curiosity and interest in pursuing justice puts him on a sometimes dangerous mission to do the detective work necessary to find the real culprit. Though we know Mo Katz will find his man (or woman) before the end of the story, the path is entertaining, especially if you know the Alexandria, Virginia area enough to recognize the landmarks Wasowicz drops quite liberally. Recommend for fans of murder/legal mysteries.
Really enjoyable read that kept me engaged. If you know anything about the Alexandria, VA area then you will appreciate all of the landmarks in the book. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series!
The book was very well written... and obviously too short, since I finished it in 24 hours, lol. This book had words and phrases that I had to look up to be sure of their meaning. I love that. I liked the book enough that I will have to buy the companion volume: Adams Morgan, when it comes out. LOL. Fantastic book, highly recommend anyone who likes a good Clancy style story check it out.
Will definitely pick up a copy of Wasowicz' other novel, Dangerfield Island.
This is the epitome of an espionage novel. Twists and turns and good and bad guys crossing paths. It was hard to keep them all straight. But that’s what makes this a good novel. Settings and characters are being fleshed out more. Flowery prose in describing was toned down. A good thing. Highly recommended.