2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion
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State of Affairs
State of Affairs
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State of Affairs by Marie Force
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I'm in just so I can read how much Sam hates being First Lady and how much Nick being President annoys her and cramps her lifestyle.
I'm undecided. I may read the first book to complete the directive to read a book in a spinoff series.
Minutes after Vice President Nick Cappuano and Lt. Sam Holland get the call that President Nelson has been found dead in the residence on Thanksgiving, they’re still processing that Nick has been asked to come to the White House to take the oath of office.
As they go through the motions to ensure a peaceful transition of power, Sam has a million and one concerns about her husband, her family, the Nelson family, the country and the enormity of what Nick is about to take on. In the back of her mind is another major concern: What does this mean for my job? No other first lady in history has held a job outside the White House, but she’s determined to be the first, to blaze new trails for those who will follow her. However, in order to do that, she quickly realizes that compromises will have to be made to continue working as a Homicide detective.
Their lives become an immediate firestorm of meetings, requests for interviews, difficult questions from their children and a host of potential landmines to navigate as they make the transition from second family to first family. An unexpected issue with a diplomatic trip to Iran quickly thrusts Nick into the thick of his new responsibilities while Sam confronts a murder investigation that may have ties to a cold case from fifteen years ago.
As everything around them spins out of control, Sam and Nick take refuge with each other, relying on their unbreakable bond to see them through the storm.
Settings
Washington, DC
Fairfax, Virginia
32 Chapters
Epilogue
Characters
(view spoiler)[
Recurring Characters
Samantha (Sam) Holland Cappuano: Washington DC metro police lieutenant in charge of city's homicide detective squad. She's married to Nick, mother of their adopted son, Scotty and Second Lady of the United States. She is 35-years old and has toffee-colored hair and pale blue eyes. She's on vacation with her family.
Nick Cappuano: President of the United States now that Nelson suddenly died. Married to Sam and father of their adopted son, Scotty. Former US senator from Virginia, who was elected to his first term after finishing out John O'Connor's. He's 37-years old and 6'4" with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
Scotty Dunlap Cappuano: Nick and Sam's adopted 13-year old son.
Elijah Armstrong: Jameson’s eldest son by his first wife. He’s attending Princeton and was named the guardian for his twin siblings. He’s appointed Sam & Nick as their temporary guardians while he’s in college.
Aubrey Armstrong: Jameson and Cleo’s 5-year daughter, Alden’s twin. Sam & Nick are now their guardians, appointed by their brother, Elijah.
Alden Armstrong: Jameson and Cleo’s 5-year son, Aubrey’s twin. Sam & Nick are now their guardians, appointed by their brother, Elijah.
Frederico (Freddie) Cruz: Sam's partner. He lives with his fiancée, Elin.
Elin Svendsen: Freddie's fiancée who runs a gym. She's recuperating from the assault ordered by Stahl.
Juliette Cruz: Freddie’s mother.
Miguel Cruz: Freddie’s father.
Shelby Faircloth Hill: Nick and Sam's personal assistant. She runs their household and Sam calls her Tinkerbell. She is the mother of baby Noah and is married to Avery.
Avery Hill: FBI special agent in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division. He and Shelby are married and he adopted Noah.
George Terrell: FBI agent and Avery’s deputy.
Jeannie McBride: Detective on Sam's homicide team. Engaged to Michael. Formerly partnered with Will Tyrone.
Michael Wilkinson: Jeannie's fiancé.
Will Tyrone: Detective on Sam's homicide team who quit after Arnold was killed. He was Jeannie's partner.
Tommy (Gonzo) Gonzales: Detective sergeant on Sam's homicide team. He's married to Christina and is baby Alex's father. He has full custody. He’s now out of rehab.
Christina Billings Gonzales: Nick's former chief of staff who's married to Gonzo. She's now home full time taking care of Alex.
Alejandro (Alex) Gonzales: Gonzo's 3-year old son.
Arnold (AJ) Arnold: Detective and Gonzo's former partner who was shot and killed in the line of duty.
Cameron Green: Former Fairfax County homicide detective, now on Sam’s squad and Gonzo’s new partner.
Matt O’Brien: Police officer Sam is promoting to her detective squad to replace Will Tyrone.
Erica Lucas: SVU detective.
Jacqueline DiMaio: Missing Persons detective.
Skip Holland: Sam's father, married to Celia. Quadriplegic who was shot in the line of duty. He recently died due to complications from his injury.
Celia Holland: Sam's stepmother, former nurse married to Skip.
Brenda Ross: Sam's mother.
Tracy Hogan: Sam's sister who is married to Mike and mother of their three children, Brooke, Abby and Ethan.
Mike Hogan: Tracy's husband.
Angela Radcliffe: Sam's sister, married to Spencer and mother of their son Jack and daughter Ella.
Spencer Radcliffe: Angela's husband and father of their two children.
Leo Cappuano: Nick's father, married to Stacy. They have 6-year old twin boys.
Stacy Cappuano: Nick's stepmother, married to Leo.
Nicoletta Bernadino: Nick’s mother.
Graham O'Connor: Former US senator from Virginia who is married to Laine. He's the father of John, Terry and Lizbeth and is very close to Nick.
Laine O'Connor: Married to Graham and mother of their three children, Terry, John and Lizbeth. She's Nick's surrogate mother.
Terry O'Connor: Nick's chief of staff and son of Graham and Laine. He's Lindsay's fiancé.
Lindsey McNamara: Chief medical examiner. She's Terry O'Connor's fiancée.
Harry Flynn: Nick's friend and Sam's doctor. He’s dating Lilia.
Lilia Van Nostrand: Sam's chief of staff as Second Lady. She’s dating Harry.
Gigi Dominguez: Detective on Sam's homicide team. Carlucci's partner.
Dani Carlucci: Detective on Sam's homicide team. Gigi's partner.
Joe Farnsworth: Chief of police.
Marti Farnsworth: Joe's wife.
Jake Malone: Detective Captain, Sam's mentor.
Paul Conklin: Former detective chief. He was responsible for covering up who shot Skip.
Hernandez: Former captain over Patrol. He was in on the cover up.
Robach: Captain over Vice.
Harrison: Captain over the Gang Unit.
Haggerty: Lieutenant over CSU.
Nicholson: SWAT captain.
Dylan Offenbach: SWAT sergeant.
Byron Tomlinson: Deputy medical examiner.
Tom Forrester: US attorney.
Faith Miller: Assistant US attorney. She's a triplet to sisters Hope and Charity who are also US attorneys.
Archie Archelotta: Police lieutenant in charge of the IT division. He was once romantically involved with Sam.
Ramsey: SVU detective Sam punched out. He filed charges but no action was taken.
Monique Brewster: Washington DC mayor.
Darren Tabor: Reporter for the Washington Star.
Leonard Stahl: Former head of IAB now convicted for the attempted murder of Sam.
Eric Fitzgerald: Detective who was aware of the identity of Skip Holland's shooter.
Lieutenant Wilson: New head of Internal Affairs.
Jessica Townsend: Metropolitan Police Department counsel.
David Nelson: Former President of the United States. He died in office.
Gloria Nelson: Nelson’s wife.
Christopher Nelson: President Nelson's son, an attorney. He’s in jail for attempting to kill members of Nick and Sam’s family.
Derek Kavanaugh: Nelson’s deputy chief of staff and Nick’s friend.
Trevor Donnelly: Nick's communication director.
Andrea: Sam's White House director of communications and spokesperson
Mackenzie: Oversees Sam's White House schedule and travel.
Keira: Sam's White House policy specialist.
Dr. Trulo: Department psychologist.
Ambrose Pierce: Secret Service director.
John (Brant) Brantly, Jr.: Secret Service agent heading Nick's detail.
Melinda: Woman on Nick's Secret Service detail who Sam doesn't like.
Debra Nixon: Lead Secret Service agent on Scotty's detail.
Eric: Secret Service agent on the Holland/Cappuano home detail.
Nate: Secret Service agent on the Holland/Cappuano home detail. He’s the agent at the door.
Vernon: Member of Sam’s Secret Service detail.
Jimmy: Member of Sam’s Secret Service detail.
Dr. Anderson: ER doctor.
Roni Connelly: Former wife of DEA agent Patrick Connelly who was killed by a stray bullet. She’s the obituary writer for the Star.
Lenore Worthington: Woman whose son, Calvin, was murdered outside of his home when Sam was in Patrol. Sam is going to reopen the cold case because it was Stahl’s and he didn’t properly investigate it.
Calvin Worthington: Lenore’s 15-year old son who was murdered almost 15 years ago and the killer never found.
Ayana WorthingtonLenore’s daughter and Calvin’s sister. She’s the mother of Calvin and Layla.
Valerie Southern: American University student Sam befriends on the Metro.
Evelyn Hodges: Transportation Secretary and VP candidate.
Michaela Johnson: Maryland congresswoman and VP candidate.
Inez Cortez: New Mexico governor and VP candidate.
Jessica Sanford: Senior Senator from Illinois and VP candidate. She wears Chanel No. 5.
Gretchen Henderson: Political operative and VP candidate. She’s twice divorced.
Non Recurring Characters
Gideon Lawson: White House chief usher.
LeRoy Chastain: White House butler.
Roland Daniels: White House butler.
Ezra Smith: Gigi’s boyfriend.
Bruce: S.W.A.T. captain.
Dorsey: S.W.A.T. lieutenant and hostage negotiator.
Rajavi: Iranian president.
Shanice Williams: Woman found beaten on the streets.
Brandy Wilson: Shanice’s mother.
Eduardo Carter: Man found dead in the streets near Shanice.
Brendan Sullivan: Parole officer.
Dan Morse: Retired detective who was assigned the Calvin Worthington case.
D’Andre Worthington: Calvin’s cousin.
Clarissa: Calvin’s former girlfriend.
Kelvin Evans: One of Shanice’s rapists.
Javier Lopez: One of Shanice’s rapists.
Fernando Toppa: One of Shanice’s rapists.
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spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Sam plans to make Shelby her social secretary, Roni Connelly her communications director and invite Celia to make the move with them.
Nick fired the Secretary of State, asked Derek to stay on as his deputy chief of staff and brought Christina in as press secretary. (hide spoiler)]