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Political Suicide
"A rocket ride of action, political intrigue, and suspense."—San Diego Magazine
"A sharp thriller. Russell has us in the palm of his hand."—Chicago Tribune
"Ingeniously imagined and skillfully told, Political Suicide must be included in any list of this year's best thrillers."—San Diego Union-Tribune
"Political Suicide takes off at light speed and doesn't slow down until the unbelievably exciting climax."—Midwest Book Review
"One of the best writers in the mystery field today."—Publishers Weekly
"Russell makes it seem new all over again. He's a skillful writer."—Booklist
"Russell understands action and dialogue."—Charlotte Observer
"A crime fiction rara avis."—Los Angeles Times
"A sharp thriller. Russell has us in the palm of his hand."—Chicago Tribune
"Ingeniously imagined and skillfully told, Political Suicide must be included in any list of this year's best thrillers."—San Diego Union-Tribune
"Political Suicide takes off at light speed and doesn't slow down until the unbelievably exciting climax."—Midwest Book Review
"One of the best writers in the mystery field today."—Publishers Weekly
"Russell makes it seem new all over again. He's a skillful writer."—Booklist
"Russell understands action and dialogue."—Charlotte Observer
"A crime fiction rara avis."—Los Angeles Times
345 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2003
12 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Alan Russell
24 books290 followersFollow Alan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alanrussellmysteryau...
Alan Russell is the author of The Last Good Dog, the sixth book in the #1 bestselling series featuring LAPD detective Michael Gideon and his K-9 partner, Sirius.
In 1990 Walker & Company published Alan's first book, No Sign of Murder, which received positive reviews, including a standalone rave from The New York Times. The work was followed up by The Forest Prime Evil and comedic mysteries The Hotel Detective and The Fat Innkeeper, which won him the Lefty Award, given to the best humorous mystery of the year, and a Critics’ Choice Award. His novel Multiple Wounds, a psychological thriller, earned him a nomination for both an Anthony Award and the Macavity Award for best novel of the year. Russell then published Shame, a novel of psychological suspense. His novels Exposure, Political Suicide, A Cold War, and The Homecoming, have been categorized as suspense novels. Alan is also the author of St. Nick, a Christmas Cop Novel, and the Gideon & Sirius novels, which include Burning Man, Guardians of the Night, Lost Dog, Gideon's Rescue, L.A. Woman, and The Last Good Dog.
Alan Russell is the author of The Last Good Dog, the sixth book in the #1 bestselling series featuring LAPD detective Michael Gideon and his K-9 partner, Sirius.
In 1990 Walker & Company published Alan's first book, No Sign of Murder, which received positive reviews, including a standalone rave from The New York Times. The work was followed up by The Forest Prime Evil and comedic mysteries The Hotel Detective and The Fat Innkeeper, which won him the Lefty Award, given to the best humorous mystery of the year, and a Critics’ Choice Award. His novel Multiple Wounds, a psychological thriller, earned him a nomination for both an Anthony Award and the Macavity Award for best novel of the year. Russell then published Shame, a novel of psychological suspense. His novels Exposure, Political Suicide, A Cold War, and The Homecoming, have been categorized as suspense novels. Alan is also the author of St. Nick, a Christmas Cop Novel, and the Gideon & Sirius novels, which include Burning Man, Guardians of the Night, Lost Dog, Gideon's Rescue, L.A. Woman, and The Last Good Dog.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 8, 2019
Political Suicide 2019 updated edition: My first Alan Russell book was “Burning Man” and I became a fan after only a few pages, since then I have read everything I could get hold of in e-format, unfortunately several of his earlier books were not available this side of the pond so I was delighted when the two “Hotel Detective” novels became available last year, and this year the two “Stuart Winter” books were released followed soon after by “Political Suicide”.
I love AR’s writing style and the way you will always learn a whole bunch of other interesting stuff along the way and this book is no exception. Although this book was originally published in 2003 politicians are politicians and many continue to behave in a thoroughly reprehensible way so the only “updating” necessary has been in relation to the huge changes in technology, even the ancient Greeks and Romans had unscrupulous politicians. Not much really changes. does it? An excellent read.
I love AR’s writing style and the way you will always learn a whole bunch of other interesting stuff along the way and this book is no exception. Although this book was originally published in 2003 politicians are politicians and many continue to behave in a thoroughly reprehensible way so the only “updating” necessary has been in relation to the huge changes in technology, even the ancient Greeks and Romans had unscrupulous politicians. Not much really changes. does it? An excellent read.
November 8, 2019
Not My Favorite
Maybe I’m just not in the mood for politics in this day and age. I like the “spotter” intrigue more than the plot of the story. I would much rather read St. Nick for the fourth time.
Maybe I’m just not in the mood for politics in this day and age. I like the “spotter” intrigue more than the plot of the story. I would much rather read St. Nick for the fourth time.
September 13, 2023
The story was very believable. I found it’s so interesting because of the background of the US Military Academy. Also found out much about the Civil War. Alan Russell does a great job with his stories. I truly recommend this to anyone.
November 18, 2023
good story
An excellent writer, a good tale well told. I will continue to follow him and his stories. Hope others do the same.
An excellent writer, a good tale well told. I will continue to follow him and his stories. Hope others do the same.
August 26, 2025
I was worried
I wasn’t sure how the story was going to end. I got a little nervous when I realized our hero had run out of options.
I wasn’t sure how the story was going to end. I got a little nervous when I realized our hero had run out of options.
April 14, 2010
When a book starts out with the hero reciting General MacArthur’s ‘farewell’ to West Point, you really don’t know what else to expect. The book then jumpsahead more than a decade to the present day where Will Travis, having been ousted from the military academy and the career path his family had long followed, is now working as an investigator in his own small agency. Will has a gift for memory and for being very observant, which works well in his role as a sort of ‘mystery shopper/patron’ for hire. What he does is visit restaurants, bars, hotels and other establishments to observe just how well the employees are or are not doing their jobs. He then submits a report to inform upper management or the owners just what is being done in their absence.
Alan Russell does a great job bringing Will and his colleagues to life. In fact, it would be a shame if the author doesn’t use Will, Jenny, Stevie and other members of TLR Enterprises in another book. To be honest though, the end of the book may take Will into a whole other direction, so we’ll have to wait and see.
While on assignment, Will notices that a female bar patron has just been slipped something and he goes to her rescue. It quickly becomes apparent that this is far more than the ‘date rape’ he suspected and is in fact a kidnapping for other reasons. Claire Harrington, who Will rescues, is the daughter of a former Senator who may or may not have committed suicide. It’s the uncertainty of that which brought Claire to that bar and it soon involves Will in a fatal shootout. Will finds himself drawn to Claire and it’s possible that she may return his affections. Unfortunately, Claire has several secrets that put both she and Will in constant danger and on the run from law enforcement.
It seems that one of the leading Presidential candidates has a hidden agenda, part of which has already caused a number of deaths and may end up adding Will & Claire to that number. Will knows that there are people he can trust, but what isn’t clear is if Claire is one of them.
Along with MacArthur’s speech we also get a brief history of dueling in the U.S. and how it helped shape the early American nation. Russell also gives us several chapters of the late Senator’s autobiographical book and other tidbit along the way. In lesser hands, I think that some of this would be padding, but Russell brings it all together in the end.
I would have given the book a higher mark if the end didn’t seem a bit too pat, but given everything else I’m going to go with a better than passing grade. I’m also hoping to see Will and some of his friends again.
Alan Russell does a great job bringing Will and his colleagues to life. In fact, it would be a shame if the author doesn’t use Will, Jenny, Stevie and other members of TLR Enterprises in another book. To be honest though, the end of the book may take Will into a whole other direction, so we’ll have to wait and see.
While on assignment, Will notices that a female bar patron has just been slipped something and he goes to her rescue. It quickly becomes apparent that this is far more than the ‘date rape’ he suspected and is in fact a kidnapping for other reasons. Claire Harrington, who Will rescues, is the daughter of a former Senator who may or may not have committed suicide. It’s the uncertainty of that which brought Claire to that bar and it soon involves Will in a fatal shootout. Will finds himself drawn to Claire and it’s possible that she may return his affections. Unfortunately, Claire has several secrets that put both she and Will in constant danger and on the run from law enforcement.
It seems that one of the leading Presidential candidates has a hidden agenda, part of which has already caused a number of deaths and may end up adding Will & Claire to that number. Will knows that there are people he can trust, but what isn’t clear is if Claire is one of them.
Along with MacArthur’s speech we also get a brief history of dueling in the U.S. and how it helped shape the early American nation. Russell also gives us several chapters of the late Senator’s autobiographical book and other tidbit along the way. In lesser hands, I think that some of this would be padding, but Russell brings it all together in the end.
I would have given the book a higher mark if the end didn’t seem a bit too pat, but given everything else I’m going to go with a better than passing grade. I’m also hoping to see Will and some of his friends again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2022
A great easy read to start off the year! Glad I found this one.
September 7, 2007
POLITICAL SUICIDE – VG
Alan Russell – Standalone
Political Suicide features private investigator Will Travis, a different kind of "hotel detective". With his near photographic memory, Travis evaluates restaurants and hotels, reporting on service issues and employee theft or neglect to his clients. During one of these evaluations he witnesses a man slipping something into his woman companion's drink. Travis rescues the woman, Claire Harrington, inserting himself into a twisted plot of suicide/murder and presidential politics.
Russell has the incredible ability to teach me a lot—the hospitality industry, West Point and the military, personal history of presidents, dueling, and more—while telling great story. Travis was a wonderful character. His descriptions of the Washington D.C. area are excellent. Even though it definitely bogged down at the end, I started in early in the morning, read it at lunch and finished it when I came home from work. I really enjoyed this book.
Alan Russell – Standalone
Political Suicide features private investigator Will Travis, a different kind of "hotel detective". With his near photographic memory, Travis evaluates restaurants and hotels, reporting on service issues and employee theft or neglect to his clients. During one of these evaluations he witnesses a man slipping something into his woman companion's drink. Travis rescues the woman, Claire Harrington, inserting himself into a twisted plot of suicide/murder and presidential politics.
Russell has the incredible ability to teach me a lot—the hospitality industry, West Point and the military, personal history of presidents, dueling, and more—while telling great story. Travis was a wonderful character. His descriptions of the Washington D.C. area are excellent. Even though it definitely bogged down at the end, I started in early in the morning, read it at lunch and finished it when I came home from work. I really enjoyed this book.
July 20, 2007
I've read and liked two of his previous novels, Exposure and Shame. I can't say the same for this novel though. First up, the plot in itself isn't that interesting and his writing wasn't as gripping as I remembered. It took me about three days on and off to finish this. Very bad!
May 19, 2010
RATING: 2.5
November 17, 2010
Good read. Contains a lot of political junkie stuff. Russell weaves history, politics and mayhem into a creative web which does not unravel until the final pages.
April 4, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed - fast paced, several surprise twists, a good sense of humor, low level of maudlin... plus, I think this guy gets an award for Most Creative Use of Teeth...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews