Dead as a Duck

Washington Whodunit #7

by Colleen J. Shogan

Congressional staffer Kit Marshall is looking forward to a much-deserved summer vacation in the Outer Banks. When the mayor of the beach town turns up dead, Kit and her friends need to put their fun on hold to help solve the crime.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2021

About the author

Colleen Shogan has been reading mysteries since the age of six. She conceived of the plot of “Stabbing in the Senate” one morning while taking a walk in her suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood. Her Washington Whodunit series is published by Camel Press, with "Stabbing in the Senate" making its debut in 2015. In April 2016, "Stabbing in the Senate" won first place in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for the Mystery Category. Her sequel was "Homicide in the House" followed by "Calamity at the Continental Club."

A political scientist by training, Colleen has taught American politics at Yale, George Mason University, Georgetown, and Penn. She previously worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer in the United States Senate and as the Deputy Director of the Congressional Research Service. She's now a senior executive at the Library of Congress, working on terrific programs such as the National Book Festival. Colleen lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Rob and their beagle mutt Conan.

Photo credit: Glen Fuhrmeister, GF Photography

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Congressional staffer Kit Marshall has hit the road for a listening tour as her boss, Congresswoman Maeve Dixon, considers a run for Senate. The tour’s last stop is the town of Duck and Kit is looking forward to sticking around and vacationing in the outer banks with her husband, friends, and her brother. Oh, the dogs have come along too. The last town hall meeting gets out of hand when the mayor is put in the hot seat to answer questions about some of the plans he has initiated and his future plans. Congresswoman Dixon doesn’t get much time at all as the event breaks up when things get out of hand.

Kit barely gets to wind down and start her vacay when she finds the now dead mayor of Duck floating in the Currituck Sound. Because her environmental activist brother Sebastian got into it with the mayor at the town hall meeting and has no alibi matching the time of death he becomes the police’s number one suspect. So instead of hitting the beach Kit hits the town’s businesses and residents to find the real killer and clear her brother’s name. It isn’t an easy task and both she and her brother could end up dead instead of catching the killer.

The author takes her wonderful characters out of Washington D.C. to Duck, North Carolina and I enjoyed that very much. One of our best family vacations was in North Carolina. We did stay on our namesake Caswell Beach but did visit the outer banks on a day trip. We have wonderful memories of the area and I felt bad that Kit’s vacay was marred by murder. She did get to visit a few places but clearing Sebastien was her main focus.

It was fun to see the characters out of their high-pressure element and be able to kick back and relax a little bit. The dogs had a good time too but one enjoyed the beach much more than the other. They did have to deal with the murder and a couple of characters are faced with a vital decisions so it wasn’t all sunshine and beaches. These characters are all very strong and well-developed. Their interactions are all believable. They really are a fun group of people.

The mystery is very well written. The mayor had ruffled a lot of Duck feathers and it really made sense that the suspect pool was drawn from its residents rather than a tourist after just one meeting but the police seemed remiss about pinning it on a member of the little town. With a more open pool Kit’s snooping lead to some nice twists and turns. I was really kept guessing right up to the very end.

I really enjoy Ms. Shogan’s writing style. It is comfortable and makes her books easy to escape into. Even though politics to a backseat to the mystery this time there was enough for those readers who like the political theme.

Dead as a Duck takes us to a wonderful place with fantastic characters wrapped up in a marvelous mystery. For me, it was definitely a Perfect Escape. The author took me on a nice little escape to Duck and the story had everything I look for is a stellar cozy mystery. Kit has some immense duties coming up as her boss makes a huge decision so I am really looking forward to the next installment of this series too.

[M.T. DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Read an excerpt here.

I love me a good cozy, and this did not disappoint. This is book 7 in this series and my introduction to the series. Regardless, it took almost no time for me to get into the story and feel like I’d known the characters since book 1. The federal and local politics angles added to the story without overpowering it, which was nice.
The setting felt real, and for me, it had the added feeling of a quick trip into my past. I lived in Wilmington, NC for about 5 years, which isn’t too far from the Outer Banks. It was cool to experience the NC coastal life from afar. Now, “too far” by NC standards means you can make the drive in less than day if you’re dedicated, so it’s not like Wilmington and the Outer Banks are right next-door to one another, but this did remind me that I never did get around to ordering a Duck Donut, which is absolutely a shame. They look just as amazing in fiction as they did in real life.
Final thoughts: I’d absolutely read more from this series and author. The characters really pulled me in, both human and four-legged friends alike. Give this one a try.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead as a Duck does not disappoint! This mystery will keep readers guessing and challenge them to figure out the guilty party.

Kit Marshall works for a congresswoman, and she, her husband, and friends go to the peaceful Outer Banks to relax. However, things take a different turn. The mayor of the town is killed. Why does Kit get involved? She has experience solving murders, and besides, her brother Sebastian becomes a prime suspect.

Kit is intelligent and engaging. As she searches for clues to find the real murderer, readers see her interactions with others. These relationships are well-developed. The setting is a charming little get-away town that is easy to picture given the sense details provided.

Many convincing suspects come into play. It could convincingly be any of them. Kit has to be quite assertive in her search, and she is clever and thorough. While investigating, clues create more suspense and good subplots to round out the story. Kit finds herself in tricky situations that could get dangerous for her and those she cares about, but she is motivated.

It is fun to see her follow the path of clues. I would recommend this book and this author for fans of mystery and would happily read another book in the series.

[Mary Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series, and Dead as a Duck is a terrific addition! This time Kit and her friends are on vacation, so no political setting or buildings, but still all the intrigue. I thought I had the killer pinned down, but I did not. This one kept me guessing through many twists and turns until the very last pages.

[Shelle Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kit Marshall seems to have a knack for finding dead bodies and solving their murders. She came into Duck, South Carolina as part of a town hall meeting for her boss, a congresswoman who is considering a run for the senate. She fully intends to take a few much needed days with friends and family in this popular destination beach town. When the town hall gets out of hand, exposing a rift between the town mayor and his constituents and then the mayor shows up dead, her vacation is going to have to wait.

I figured out whodunnit fairly easily, though of course, I didn’t know why. By the time Kit worked her way around to it, I had forgotten that I suspected that person, and I had just gotten caught up in the story. Kit is a great protagonist with a clever inner circle. If more Washington insiders were like her and her boss, the country would be in great hands.

There are plenty of twists and subplots throughout that keep the story fresh and mystery front and center. I love when I can get lost in the minutia of small town living and let the puzzle take a back seat to a really good tale.

Though this the latest in a robust series, it is the first of it that I have read. It read well as a stand alone and managed to convince me I wanted, rather than needed, to read the series from the beginning. I am looking forward to that.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and reviewed several of the books in this series. If you could look back at my reviews, you would see that I enjoyed the books and yet there were a few quirks I wasn’t crazy about. Oddly enough (or not) Kit and her friends have grown as the book numbers grew. In the first couple of books I was occasionally frustrated. It seemed there was way too much talk about which clothes Kit and her friend would wear. I suppose I’m not a fashion person. But as the books progressed Shogan seemed to make her characters grow. Develop them as young people would grow. They had more depth and frankly it gave more to the stories. That has happened here again.
Taking Kit out of Washington with her boss, Congresswoman Maeve Dixon, sets this particular political cozy in a whole new light. We’re not just in the confines of the Senate hallways or the Library of Congress. The possibilities to add to this cute cozy are much greater and Colleen Shogan takes advantage of it. We have well-known characters we’ve grown up with in a new setting.
Makes for a fun and interesting book. Having read several of the books in this series I know you do not have to read this series in order and each book can be read as a stand-alone. However, as I have said, the characters (or the author) grow better and better, so I suggest you start with Book 1.

There are 6 books in this series, so you have a lot to read. Get busy.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars


"Dead as a Duck" by Colleen J. Shogan is part of the ‘Washington Whodunit’ series and features the adventures of Kit Marshall, chief of staff for representative Maeve Dixon, and amateur sleuth. A “feeling out” stop for the congresswoman that is supposed to morph into a well-deserved vacation for Kit and her cohorts is complicated when her brother gets implicated in…what else? A murder!

This cozy mystery provides an armchair visit to a quaint seaside town in North Carolina named Duck. Glimpses of the fun activities to be had on a vacation that includes canines (despite one’s disappointing antipathy toward the beach) are interspersed with persistent investigation into the most recent murder to impact Kit and her crew. It’s fun to see Kit’s husband get more immersed in her propensity to solve murders, and I wholeheartedly approve of his decision about the subject of his next book.

I didn’t feel much connection to the secondary characters, but I had met several of them in previous stories, so it was good to get an update on where they were in their lives. I think this would be a perfect quick beach read for anyone who likes cozy mysteries and small-town stories.


A copy was provided for review

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead as a Duck is the first book I have read in the Kit Marshall series. I didn’t have any trouble following the story, but I think it would be more enjoyable to already be familiar with some of the characters.

Duck, North Carolina is as much a character in this tale as the people. Small town life is rarely as dull as it’s made out to be. There are always squabbles and sides to choose in these battles.

The pacing was decent if a bit slow occasionally, but not enough to take away from the fun of reading this cozy mystery. The author throws in some great twists & turns, as well as a red herring or two, to keep you turning page after page to figure out this “Whodunnit”. Even if you are an expert and solving the crime earlier than most, learning the motive can be just as entertaining

I love a story with a great dog. This one has two. So we’ve got murder, wine, dogs, and a great mystery in Dead as a Duck. That’s all I need to give this one a thumbs up!

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead as a Duck is the first book in the Washington Whodunit series that I have read and I don’t feel as if I missed anything as far as the story itself goes. But with saying this I realize that I have missed out on getting to know all the characters from the beginning with the first book in the series not to mention some great mysteries. Dead as a Duck has enough mystery and suspense to keep the pages tuning.

Kit Marshall works for Congresswoman Maeve Dixon. They have been on the road touring the country. Congresswoman Maeve Dixon is considering running for Congress. Their last stop is Duck, North Carolina. Kit has decide to mix a little business with pleasure. Her husband, two dogs, and her brother is visiting Duck as well so they have decided to have a little vacation, spend some time on the beach, relaxing and just having a little R&R time.

Kit is out walking the dogs on the beach when she finds the dead body of the mayor floating in the water. At the town hall meeting earlier there was a confrontation between Kit’s brother and the mayor. Without an alibi her brother is a suspect. Kit doesn’t believe her brother had anything to do with the mayor’s death and sets out to prove just that.

But the question still remains. Did her brother commit the murder? Or is he innocent? Who did kill the mayor? Why was the mayor murdered? So many questions, questions that I kept asking myself throughout the story.

Dead as a Duck reminded me of a Lifetime or a Hallmark movie set in one of those small, cozy little towns where everybody knows everybody. I could just picture the town in my head, houses with little white picket fences. I could see Kit as she was walking both dogs on the beach that night. I am looking forward to reading more books by Colleen J. Shogan, especially the Washington Whodunit books.

I would like to recommend Dead as a Duck to anyone who likes a good whodunit mystery story where you can curl up with a blanket by a warm cozy fire. One-click your copy of Dead as a Duck today!

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even on vacation, Kit could find herself in a murder investigation. I enjoyed this story as theories were traded among her family and friends. Threats and secrets made it hard for her and her entourage to solve the murder, but she persevered to protect her brother. I loved the secondary characters and how they played off each other, with humor, love, witty conversations, and support. This was a good story, and I recommend it to those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've slipped into the middle of a series......I need to read the others!!

To say we are reading a murder mystery, Dead as a Duck is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the closeness of the main characters, the different personalities bouncing off each other.
Kit is a bit if a firecracker and very determined in the things that she does.....especially when suspicion is cast close to home.

As I said this is part of a series, however, it could easily be read as a standalone.....don't do it!! Go for the whole series and treat yourself to a cheeky bottle of wine.

[Mike Korff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good beach read from the Archivist of the United States

This is a fun book. Its setting in a North Carolina beach town makes it a perfect book to take to the beach. It's not an especially fast-paced book, but it keeps the ready engaged -- and wondering who done it.

There were some unfortunate editing errors that suggest the publisher, with help from the author, needs to address in future books. The author has been named the new archivist of the U.S., where I am sure she will find much inspiration for future books.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this author. Vacationing in Duck, NC; this book was intriguing. Enjoyed the storyline. I hope there are more in the Outer Banks area. I was introduced to new places as well as familiar places. Good book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent series!!! I have enjoyed each book. Realistic and likeable characters with a fast paced setting. The mysteries are well crafted. This series and the Domestic Diva series by Krista Davis are my all time favs.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duck is my favorite happy place, so when I saw this book at an indie bookstore in the #obx what choice did I have but to purchase? And read … which I loved so much because of the Duck setting more than the story itself- which was fine. Have to give five stars to the local read!

[Tambra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. All her books are wonderful, I have bought and read every one.