House Rivals: A Joe DeMarco Thriller

The DeMarco Series, Book 10

By: Mike Lawson

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

From best-selling author Mike Lawson comes the latest installment in the award-winning Joe DeMarco series.

As a fixer for influential congressman John Mahoney in Washington, DC, Joe DeMarco has found himself in plenty of unexpected and dangerous situations. In House Rivals, DeMarco is taken further out of his element than ever before, sent to North Dakota to protect a passionate but naïve 22-year-old blogger who has put herself in harm's way.

The young woman is Sarah Johnson, whose grandfather saved Mahoney's life in Vietnam. For the past two years, Sarah has been on a relentless crusade against a billionaire oil tycoon who has profited handsomely from the natural gas boom in the Dakotas and who she believes has been bribing small-time politicians and judges to keep things in his favor. Though she has no hard evidence against the man, Sarah has been assaulted and received death threats for her meddling. DeMarco, given his years of experience bending the rules in DC, suspects that a middleman like himself is pulling strings for the tycoon. But as DeMarco tries to identify his adversaries, the situation turns unexpectedly violent, and DeMarco finds himself in a battle of wits against two ruthless problem solvers who will stop at nothing to win.

©2015 Atlantic Monthly Press (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Suspense Murder & Humor - That's Joe DeMarco!

Have you listened to any of Joe Barrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Joe Barrett is the voice of Joe DeMarco! As always he gave a Stellar performance! He narrates so well you would think he knows what the author was thinking when he wrote it as he seems to get all the right inflections at the right time. I am a definitely fan.

Any additional comments?

I love the Joe DeMarco series and have been looking so forward to this book coming out. My only gripe is that I thought it was too short. After the last book which was the BEST, this one did not measure up. I missed Emma and thought some details about Joe were left out. However if read as a stand alone without the previous books to compare it to I thought it was really a very good story. One thing I really enjoy about Mike Lawson's writing is how he intertwines DeMarco's nuances and nuisances into the story line to add real life humor. At the beginning of the book Joe has a mouse problem, he deals with an exterminator and tells him to do what ever needs to be done. You don't hear about the problem again until the end but it will leave you hysterical laughing. Murphy must be Joe's close relative but I like that he pretty much comes out of his situations unscathed. I sincerely hope Mike Lawson is writing another and if you're reading this could you make it longer please?
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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Good ending!

I hate so much killing, but otherwise, it's a good story. As always, narrator Joe Barrett did an excellent job.

One of the best DeMarco books so far

Takes place out west where DeMarco is truly out of his element. Good characters with a great ending. Enjoyed very much. Love the narrator. He is a sheer joy to listen to.

good series

I like the pace and action of these books. a good story line. very entertaining listening

Great plot that ended so abruptly.

Thought the sorry was great. DeMarco is a great character to cheer for. Loved the plot to the story but it felt as if this book just suddenly and quickly came to en end. But it was a nice read.

another great installment

I have listened to all of the Joe DeMarco stories and they have all been good. This one was very good. I like seeing Joe do some of his own maneuvering -- He did not have any of the crazy friends to help him. And of course he was up to the challenge

I did have a lot of technical trouble with the book. It kept cutting out and I was missing parts of the book. I finally called audible - should have done it right away. They helped me beyond the help on the website. Got it fixed. No trouble after that. -- they were very quick and helpful

worth a credit. now I have to wait for the next one!

Joe DeMarco Series

Plot. Joe DeMarco, a guy in his late 30s, has a law degree but cannot find a job because he is the son of a deceased mafia hitman. Joe has never been involved with the mob in any way; he's never even owned a gun. Joe gets a job working in the Capitol. Seems the Speaker of the House had an affair with Joe's aunt and she calls in a favor. Joe is a decent guy, divorced, a bit of a horn dog, lazy, and would rather be playing golf. Speaker of the House John Mahone is a demanding alcoholic, a womanizer, as crooked as all politicians, feared by everyone who knows him - except his wife - a gal everyone adores. Mahone has a few redeeming traits, like a love of the veteran. There is another character of interest. Emma is a woman of high moral standards, a retired deep black ops gal that knows everyone and everything. She hates Mahone because she knows he's a typically devious politician but treats Joe as an annoying younger brother.

The series consists of several full-length novels - each with a beginning - middle - end, meaning you don't have to start with book one, The Inside Ring - but it will help with continuity. Bribing for votes, blackmail, dirty politicians and cops from the FBI to local police, heroic war veterans, and many good guys. From the basement of the capitol to alligator swamps, the series contains a wide range of plots. Narration is fine - Scott Brick does the first two books, Joe Barrett the remainder - no issues with either.

The Joe DeMarco Series is written by Michael Lawson, each book in the area of 10 hours of listening in unabridged audiobook format, released starting in 2005 through today by Random House and Blackstone Publishing.

Entertaining.

Loved it!

Chuckled the whole way through; great character performance 👏. So far, one of my favorites.

Love this series

Lawson keeps writing captivating, entertaining and fresh stories and you’ve found the best narrator possible to engage the listener throughout! We’ll done - being from Montana I was at first a little out off by the description of Yellowstone River between Forsythe and Miles City which is nothing like the beautiful river from Gardiner to Livingston or even Livingston to Billings. It was complimentary but the Yellowstone is not a great trout fishery fromForsythe to Miles City.

Great plot

The best plot of the last 3-5 books. Interesting character development. Just the right amount of details.