Capitol Offense by Mike Doogan

From the Publisher

The new Nik Kane Alaska mystery— now in paperback and hailed by critics...

Gifted young legislator Matthew Hope has been charged with murder. In desperation, a mysterious, wealthy patron of Hope's hires Nik Kane, disgraced ex-cop, to investigate the crime. He soon uncovers a political culture corrupted by the influence of oil and big money—and a terrifying secret that could further destroy him.

Publishers Weekly

In veteran Anchorage journalist Doogan's uneven second Nik Kane mystery (after 2006's Lost Angel), a wealthy widow hires Kane, a disgraced former Anchorage cop turned PI, to help defend a promising Native Alaskan state legislator, Matthew Hope, against the charge of murdering an aide to conservative senator O.B. Potter. The first half of the book reads like a traditional detective novel, with a tough, troubled protagonist, mysterious client, unjustly accused suspect and reluctant informants, including Kane's estranged son, Dylan. Kane even acquires a sarcastic sidekick, Tlingit cab driver "Cocoa" Paul. The story eventually falls apart as Kane, working by instinct, suffers threats and beatings en route to an unsatisfying conclusion. Though most books set in Alaska take place in the glorious and forbidding wilderness, almost all the action is in the state capital, Juneau, a city that seems carved out of ice and rocks. Unfortunately, strong writing and evocative descriptions can't save a predictable plot and a hodgepodge of stock characters. (Aug.)

Jo Ann Vicarel - Library Journal

Investigator Nik Kane, a recovering alcoholic, ex-husband, and ex-cop and exonerated ex-felon, works for a security company in Anchorage, AK, but wants more challenging cases. He is sent to Juneau to prove the innocence of state senator Matthew Hope, who's been accused of murder. Doogan packs his story with insider information on politics Alaska-style (he holds a seat in the Alaska legislature), nonstop action, fully drawn characters, and a heart-stopping finale. Lost Angel, his debut Nik Kane mystery, was gripping in its intensity. Doogan has only gotten better in this follow-up. Highly reommended. The author lives in Anchorage.

Kirkus Reviews

Nik Kane (Lost Angel, 2006) finds that Alaska's politics are as rugged as its terrain. In a fifth floor office, security guard Baby Santos finds a handsome young man bending over a naked dead girl. Quickly dubbed The White Rose Murder after an embroidered flower on the corpse's garter belt, the case becomes a local cause celebre. The handsome young man, rising political star Matthew Hope, is soon arrested for the murder of legislative assistant Melinda Foxx, and neophyte private eye Nik Kane, a former cop who recently completed a 12-year prison stretch for a work-related shooting, gets the unenviable task of gathering evidence to clear his name. Kane's police force mentor Jeffords sets him up with jobs like this, funded by Mrs. Richard Foster, a wealthy widow. As a Native Alaskan, Hope has been a hero to some (like Mrs. Foster) and a threat to many (like Alaska's power brokers). Now Kane seems in line to inherit a large portion of his troubles. He receives death threats and more palpable intimidation as he gets closer to the corrupt politicos he holds responsible for the murder, and a mudslinging campaign against Hope accelerates. Meanwhile, Kane struggles to reach a detente with his ex-wife Laurie and repair his fractured relationship with his adult son Dylan, who's working as an intern at the Capitol. Despite the all-too-formulaic elements, Doogan's noir narrative is gritty and lean, and his Alaska feels refreshingly authentic.

Product Details