House Standoff - (Joe DeMarco Thrillers) by Mike Lawson

About the Book

The fifteenth novel in Mike Lawson's acclaimed series follows Joe DeMarco to Wyoming, scene of a storied armed standoff between a defiant cattle rancher and federal agents. But DeMarco doesn't care about the standoff; this mission is personal for him.

Book Synopsis

When someone close to him is shot dead in a roadside motel in a small-town in Wyoming, DeMarco shirks his responsibilities as the Speaker of the House's fixer to make sure the authorities are doing everything that can be done to catch the killer. He soon realizes that the rural area is dominated by Hiram Bunt, a wealthy rancher with an obstructionist streak who is willing to take on the federal government at gunpoint and seems to have a number of politicians under his thumb.

But Bunt is not the only one in the way. DeMarco also learns that his friend--a woman he was once in love with--had unearthed a number of explosive secrets during her time in the backwoods, and that the deputy in charge of the investigation may be ignoring several leads to preserve a secret of his own. Surrounded by people willing to kill to maintain the status quo, DeMarco launches his own investigation into a growing list of intertwining suspects. And being DeMarco, he concludes that breaking the law to uncover the truth is the best way to ensure that justice is done. Gripping and genuinely unpredictable to the very end.

Review Quotes

Praise for House Standoff:

"Lawson's writing is as authentic, as cynically amusing, and as compelling as always. He is so adept at capturing political menace that the reader will be left hoping that his next book will revolve around the congressional siege of January 6, with Joe front and center."--Booklist

Praise for Mike Lawson:

"Excellent...No surprise, the resourceful Demarco finds ingenious ways to solve all the problems. The author's felicitous style will keep readers smiling throughout. Lawson remains at the top of his game."--Publishers Weekly (starred review), on House Privilege

"House Privilege is worthy of as many stars as the stargivers are giving this year. And you'd think the award-givers would--after 13 novels featuring Joe DeMarco, one of the genre's most intrepid and endearing (very) private investigators--heap cheesy trophies and worthy praise on Lawson. Lawson is a natural storyteller. He can craft believable characters and connivances that leave you breathless. House Privilege is a lesson in writing believable prose. Lawson makes it look easy, and that's what fiction writers all hope they're doing or aspire to do."--Durango Telegraph, on House Privilege

"This is a consistently entertaining, well-crafted series. The real mystery here is why Lawson has yet to garner a major award."--Booklist (starred review), on House Privilege

"Another first-rate novel from Lawson, the thirteenth in his celebrated Joe DeMarco series (following House Witness, 2018), with a clever cliff-hanger ending that will both delight and concern his legion of fans."--Booklist (starred review), on House Arrest

"Lawson's matter-of-fact tone, walking a fine line between satire and reportage, propels his tale forward...And his final sequence, both blackly comic and ineffably sad, provides the perfect conclusion."--Kirkus Reviews, on House Arrest

"Lawson [is] a reliably excellent writer . . . As always, Lawson's plotting is ingenious and his characters memorable."--Seattle Times, on House Rivals

"What a pleasure to read a book by a writer who gets everything right--the engaging protagonist, the fluid and often funny dialogue, the quick-paced and believable plot . . . Grade: A."--Cleveland Plain Dealer, on House Odds

"Mike Lawson . . . should be a fixture on the bestseller lists, if not a household name . . . Lawson has a deceptively smooth, low-key style that is perfect for the stories he tells . . . Mike Lawson is the only writer I know who comes close to matching the stories of the great Ross Thomas, the finest thriller writer to ever roll a blank page into an Underwood."--Strand Magazine, on House Reckoning

"A what-happens-next, edge-of-your-seat thriller, told with the author's clear prose and storytelling skills . . . [Lawson's] consistent excellence needs to be more universally acknowledged."--Deadly Pleasures, on House Blood

About the Author

Mike Lawson is a former senior civilian executive for the U.S. Navy. He is the author of fourteen previous novels starring Joe DeMarco and three novels with his protagonist Kay Hamilton.