A RIVETING AND REALISTIC POLITICAL THRILLER

SUMMARY
The Washington, D.C., troubleshooter Joe DeMarco is assigned an impossible task. Without their knowledge, DeMarco must investigate the President of the United States and his National Security Advisor for their association with the ultra-rich mega-doner Brendon Cartwright.

Cartwright, worth billions, is known for hosting lavish parties attended by wealthy politicians, movie stars, British royalty, and Russian oligarchs where anything goes. Recently, Cartwright was indicted for sex trafficking a minor at one of his parties. Before his trial could commence, he fell victim to a military-style execution, and his ten-thousand-square-foot home was ransacked.

Shortly after Cartwright’s death, an archivist at the National Archives discovers a shocking note on the back page of a draft of a presidential speech. The note suggested that the president might know something about Cartwright’s death. When John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House, is shown the note, he immediately calls Joe DeMarco to discreetly investigate whether Cartwright had been blackmailing the President.

REVIEW

Untouchable is a riveting and scarily realistic thriller with an unforgettable cast of characters. Joe DeMarco is intriguing and fascinating. I was delighted to see the savvy and super-smart retired DIA agent Emma again joining forces with DeMarco and his stealth investigation.

Author Mike Lawson’s writing cleverly weaves gut-wrenching suspense and wry humor with great pacing. His conclusion is stunning but immensely satisfying. Overall, it is an exceptional read for lovers of action-packed political thrillers.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Publisher Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press
Published February 25, 2025
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

'Untouchable' is highly entertaining as a cat-and-mouse chase in the American capital with sky-high stakes. It portrays the deep rooted corruption in the political system that never cares for normal humans whose loss of lives is written off as collateral damage. It possesses enough wit, intrigue, and shock factor to make it literally impossible to put down once begun.

Joe DeMarco is the fixer for former Speaker of the House John Mahoney. When a archivist at the National Archives comes across a document with notes relating to Brendan Cartwright, a billionaire who was recently indicted for sex trafficking a minor and then brutally murdered in his home. The notes are on the back of a document received from the White House and clearly in the President’s handwriting. The archivist decides to bring it to Mahoney’s attention although she won’t show the actual document to anyone. Mahoney tasks DeMarco with finding out what is going on. Without a whole lot to go on, DeMarco enlists the help of retired DIA agent Emma and the two of them begin their investigation that quickly leads them to the National Security Advisor, although they can’t talk to either the President or the NSA.

This is the 18th book in the Joe DeMarco series. It is certainly not a literary masterpiece but a fun read - as almost all of the Joe DeMarco series has been. The book is well paced, has plenty of twists and turns, is sprinkled with some humor, and has a bit of a surprise ending and the hint of things to come. My thanks to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

I LOVED this new thriller. It's classic Joe DeMarco with a plot twist at the end. It left me ready for the next book in the series. I've been reading Joe DeMarco series for quite some time and over time, it seems that he bends the law a bit more. Did he bend it too much this time? Can justice be called justice by any means necessary?

Having read all the previous books in the series, Joe DeMarco is back with a whole new set of issues. This time we have a member of the National Archives setting the ball rolling after an administrative assistant submits documents that might have inadvertently (or not?) set a series of events into play. We have an execution, possible sex trafficking, travel and, of course, John Mahoney. DeMarco can be like a dog with a bone, and this proves to be no exception. In this case, there are greater ramifications than ever before. I’ve always eagerly awaited the next installment and this time is no exception.

This is the latest of Mike Lawton’s Joe Demarco series. There are 18 books and I have read all of them except #17 Kingpin. All are entertaining, well written, and on track the whole time. There are no sub plots that don’t fit. This book was no exception. It started slow compared to the others but when it got going about a fourth of the way in., it was tough to put down. Without providing any spoilers, Joe again is able to run down a seemingly no win situation with help from his friend Emma. Congressman Mahoney, who is Joes unofficial boss, plays a smaller role in this book. Joe traces a situation that reaches the President and that creates a lot of intrigue. I have enjoyed every one of these books

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Mike Lawson, and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

After discovering the work of Mike Lawson years ago, I am always excited to read one of his political thrillers. The novels are filled with great storylines and puts Joe DeMarco into the middle of the action. After a suspected child trafficker is killed in his mansion, the case against him stops in its tracks. However, a note appears in the Natuonal Archives that suggests someone in the West Wing might have played a role in silencing the man before he could spill the beans. Enter Joe DeMarco, whose work as a fixer for the former Speaker of the House has many whispering. DeMarco is asked to investigate and potentially bring down the one man who cannot be touched. Lawson delivers another wonderful thriller for all to enjoy!

Brandon Cartwright had a great deal of money and knew how to use it. He was a party guy and found ways to ensure that his guests never left unhappy. Rumours abounded about what happened at those parties, which came to light when Cartwright was arrested for child trafficking, after a girl of fifteen went to the authorities to say that she had been used by Cartwright for sex at numerous of his soirées.

When news emerged that Brandon Cartwright was gunned down in his mansion, the case stopped dead in its tracks. The house was ransacked but many things of value were left lying around. Everyone presumed this was the end of it all, though a piece of writing that ended up in the possession of the National Archives points the finger to a connection between Cartwright and the sitting US president. This secretive intel lands in the lap of former Speaker of the House, John Mahoney, who quickly passes it off to his fixer, Joe DeMarco.

At question here is just how close were Cartwright and the president. Might there have been a plan hatched in the West Wing to silence Brandon Cartwright so that he did not spill anything on POTUS? This is the motivation DeMarco has, as he turns over every rock to follow the trail. What he discovers keeps him searching.

All the while, someone is less than impressed with DeMarco’s determination and seeks to quiet the man before he, too, can discover the connection. There may be a level of untouchability to the sitting US president, but DeMarco has always been driven by answers, not the narrow framework of the law. Mike Lawson delivers a great thriller that had me flipping pages just to get some answers of my own.

I have always enjoyed the writing of Mike Lawson, who knows how to mix politics and a thriller effectively. The story blossoms from the outset and has eerie parallels to something Epstein-esque with a peppering of Gaetz and perhaps the untouchable nature of the 45th US president. The story moves along with a great narrative that pulls no punches, though it increases in intensity as the momentum builds with each chapter. Strong characters, including Joe DeMarco, make for a great piece that is ever-evolving. Key plot points and parallels to actual events provide entertainment and intrigue for the attentive reader. I am eager to see where things are headed with this series and how Lawson will keep developing his DeMarco character.

Kudos, Mr. Lawson, for a great addition to the series!

Pulse-pounding indeed! Untouchable by Mike Lawson is an intense, high drama thriller that I couldn’t put down. The story is captivating, full of intrigue, revenge and regret with a jaw dropping ending. Loved it for an action-packed plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.

An Attempt to Convict the President of Murder

“…Pulse-pounding thriller from Edgar and Barry Award finalist Mike Lawson…” Lawson “is a former senior civilian executive for the US Navy”. The Edgars are named after Edgar Poe. The latest 2024 competition had 1 winner and 42 nominees. I did not see on the website any designation for a “finalist”. This seems to be an inflation of Lawson’s status. Same for the Barry Award, but it has fewer nominees, with only around 5 of them. And the reference to this thriller being “pulse-pounding” might also be a political understatement: it doesn’t promise to raise the pulse, but rather that your heart will continue to beat as you read it.
“…Beloved Washington DC ‘troubleshooter’ Joe DeMarco finds himself assigned an impossible case: help take down the President of the United States.” At least this is an exciting start for a novel. I have not read this plot before: the hero is going to assassinate the President? I must be misunderstanding the premise… I read the chapter 1 to see how this point is handled. As promised, there is a dramatic opening as a group of Secret Service agents burst into the Oval Office, and one breaches protocol to grab the President to encourage him to leave with them for the bunker because there has been a looming threat against his life. They put a gas mask on him and rush out. The story is linear and logical, unlike many in this set of reviews. The threat is then explained as a “white powder” that spilled out of an envelope. This reads like a watchable TV thriller, so those who are interested in this genre should enjoy continuing this read.
“Brandon Cartwright was a rich guy worth a couple billion bucks—inherited, of course—meaning he hadn’t worked a day in his life. But he sure knew how to party, and the people he rubbed shoulders with were all sorts of rich and famous: politicians and movie stars and British royalty and Russian oligarchs. So when Brendan Cartwright is executed in his own home, the cops quickly conclude that he was most likely killed by one or more of the rich, powerful people he partied with. But when John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House, emerges from a clandestine meeting with the head of the National Archives, he learns there’s evidence suggesting that the President of the United States was somehow involved with Cartwright’s death…” There is a careful explanation of what these Archives are (including their use when “authenticating the votes of the Electoral College” became “controversial” in the Trump non-election) when Mahoney is first-mentioned. This is better than other novels that tend to avoid offering any specifics about what such agencies do. And when Mahoney is next mentioned there is an explanation of his drinking problem, again done with specifics; this problem re-appears as Mahoney re-appears, and is clearly relevant to explaining his character and actions. Though it does get repetitive, as it keeps being brought up with less and less density in the descriptions. In another positive, when Mahoney’s familiarity with another guest is mentioned, there is a full clarification of how they knew each other, in a linear fashion.
“…Mahoney needs someone who can investigate from the shadows—enter Joe DeMarco, Mahoney’s fixer.” Chapter 6 introduces this guy by showing him shoveling concrete to build a fence, before describing his house and other characteristics, and family history. It is rare in this set of reviews to find a novel with such simple clarity of narrative structure. “DeMarco is no stranger to hunting down some of the very worst people Washington D.C. has to offer. In fact, he’s made a career of it. But as evidence continues to point towards the President, DeMarco is faced with an impossible situation: investigating a man who is quite literally untouchable.” Ah, that explains my earlier confusion: the hero is not going to spend this novel plotting on how to assassinate the President, he is merely trying to prove that the President is a murderer… It’s presented when Mahoney explains “that the National Archives had gotten a copy of a speech and on the back of the speech were notes in the president’s handwriting indicating that he may have conspired with Eric Doyle to have Brandon Carwright killed” (37-8). This is helpfully direct. Then, an explanation is given that Doyle retired from the military and started “milking the system” by getting “contracts” with the Pentagon. Doyle and his guys “were arrested twice for killing civilians in Afghanistan and both times they got off because the U.S. government helped them get off and because Doyle bribed the right Afghans. Doyle’s firm also hires itself out to scumbag dictators who don’t trust their own people to protect them.” And Doyle is “the president’s best buddy.” This plot and manner of storytelling drags readers into this story. Enough is explained about the agencies and practices involved for the reader to understand the sides in this conflict, and specific corrupt practices, without boring them with too much information. It seems Lawson is determined to win one of those awards with this one, as it seems to be a particularly hard-earned work of fiction.
—Pennsylvania Literary Journal, Fall 2024: https://anaphoraliterary.com/journals/plj/plj-excerpts/book-reviews-fall-2024

I feel like this has been a theme of books I've read recently, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say that this was Demarco like we've never seen him before! The author does a great job taking real world situations and fictionalizing them just enough. In this installment, Joe remains great at getting an insider to help him out (PW County police officer in this case) but also remains TERRIBLE at knowing whether he's being followed - this is the second book in a row where he's been followed for some time without knowing it! I was VERY glad to see Emma back in this book - I felt like I was really missing her involvement in Kingpin. All in all, the author weaves a political insider conspiracy like not many other authors can. The ending without a doubt will keep you anxiously waiting for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this advanced copy. #Untouchable #NetGalley

Untouchable is a good installment in the Joe DeMarco series by Mike Lawson. He is the ‘Fixer” for the former Speaker of the House, John Mahoney.
A piece of paper is found in the National Archive that has terrible implications for those in power.
Mahoney sends DeMarco to find out what is going on, and he runs into some unsavory people. He knows a lot of people who can help him and off he goes.
DeMarco calls on Emily, an old friend, to help. The action never stops, and all sorts of things happen.
I really enjoyed this one – this one has a lot of his friends helping him. We get to have more insight into the relationship between Mahoney and DeMarco.
I really like the series, and this one did not disappoint.

I always enjoy the Joe DeMarco books by Mike Lawson and Untouchable is no exception. Joe, a “fixer” for a powerful congressman and (for now) former Speaker of the House, finds himself in the middle of a potential scandal that has broad implications. It’s a “ripped from the headlines” kind of story.

This book has a great plot, with a widely-varied cast of characters and bad guys. The dialogue is snappy and helps keep the reader fully engaged in the story. it’s a fast-paced thriller with lots of moving parts and it dips and dives like a rollercoaster.

I thought the first few chapters were a bit choppy, with short sentences that felt a little stilted. But, it settled down into a well-written thriller with good character development and several unexpected twists that only ramped up the story as well as the tension. It’s definitely a 4.5 star book.

I enjoyed Untouchable and now I simply have to read Mr Lawson’s next Joe DeMarco book! NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

The ever dependable Mike Lawson gives us a new Joe DeMarco thriller. Demarco is a fixer for the John Mahoney, Former Speaker of The House and gets all of the off the book jobs. Asked to look into something that suggests something is rotten at the very top of US Government he attracts the interest of some very dangerous people. Luckily he knows some dangerous people himself, but that might not be enough….. As usual, DeMarco ambles through things wishing he was playing golf, the story and characters happen around him. Emma, his rather talented and enigmatic friend is her usual stand out self, a brilliant character. DeMarco looks the part but usually is slightly lazy and rarely thinks outside the box, Emma however likes to kick the hornet’s nest. Topical story told with Mr Lawton’s usual character driven and observational style. I am a massive fan of all his books and he never fails to deliver, he certainly deliver here. Great stuff.

Untouchable by Mike Lawson, and overall, I really enjoyed it. The story is gripping, the pacing is solid, and the characters are well-developed. Lawson does a great job of keeping the reader engaged with plenty of twists and turns,That said, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed by the ending. While it tied up some loose ends, I felt like it didn't fully deliver. Despite the ending, I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy

timely, thriller, threats, suspense, intrigue, unputdownable, political-intrigue, political-corruption, witty, twisty, entitled-attitude, murder, lies, secrets, accountability, suspicion, friendship, greed, investigations, due-diligence, criminal-acts, criminal-element, tense, extortion, archivist*****

Solid fast-paced plot with thoroughly invested characters and an all-too-believable tense progression. It's a scene of American politics at the highest levels and with plot twists as mind-bending as tomorrow's news. Joe DeMarco is the man we'd all like to have investigating to find truth and making certain that nothing stays hidden.
The ending made me nutz!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected advance proof from Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date Feb 25, 2025 #Untouchable by @MikeLawsonBooks #JoeDeMarcoThrillersBk18 #NetGalley @groveatlantic #TenseThriller #WashingtonDCPolitics

This was a wonderful book. I think it brings to light the things political figures to to insure they can get away with almost anything. In todays political climate most people can relate to this. It changes the main characters life. The ending leaves you on a cliff wanting more. I hope there is a sequel to this book. Mike Lawsons books are always wonderful and this one will not disappoint you..
Thank you net galley for giving me the opportunity to read it

Another winner from Mike Lawson and it’s nice to see another book in the Joe Demarco series. The National Archives comes across a piece of paper from the Oval Office that has significant implications for those in power. Demarco is tasked with finding out who murdered Brandon Cartwright and the action starts there. Lots of great dialogue between Demarco and his boss John Mahoney and an excellent plot. Highly recommend!

Easy to read and entertaining like the rest of the series, and the main character stays in character as his usual slow and patient self. I also like reading about strong and smart female characters, and the author is clever in bringing in a few of those as well.

I was issued this book by NetGalley for my unbiased review.

I have read a couple of Mike Lawson's books and they have been enjoyable reads. This book did not disappoint. The book moves at a nice pace and keeps your interest. The cast of characters doesn't hurt either.

Looking forward to reading more from Mr. Lawson.

I enjoy Joe DeMarco’ s character and his “fixer” relationship with Minority Leader Mahoney while trying to remain ethical. The characters are well developed, you really dislike the bad actors and pull for the ones who are innocent or trying to maintain the right way of doing things. This is a political story of intrigue and a v eyn enjoyable read.