Robin Spano - Dead Politician Society

In Robin Spano's debut novel, Dead Politician Society, she introduces the heroine of a new series as well. Clare Vengel is a young, rookie cop who wants to be an overnight success. But Clare is a mess. She drinks too much and sleeps around and hasn't really gotten over the boyfriend who got away and is marrying someone else. When she is given the opportunity of a career lifetime to go undercover as a college student in order to gain information around the murder of a local politician, she jumps at the chance. Sure she's only picked because she still looks and really is young enough to be a college student. She knows that her handler doesn't expect much from her, but instead of trying to impress, she is doomed to constantly disappointing him as one politician after another continues to be murdered, the killer taunts the police and the press through a series of obituaries for the deceased. Spano's chapters jump from character to character in the book given insights into the thoughts of some who are suspects and others who are close to the crimes including the widow of one and a reporter. Although Clare is prone to missteps along the way, she is easy to cheer on, and the reader hopes for her eventual success in helping to solve the crimes. This is a worthwhile start.