Recently appointed Oklahoma Senator Ben Kincaid begins his new career on the Senate floor at the same time the President announces a nomination for the Supreme Court. As the very distinguished jurist Thaddeus Roush accepts his nomination from the President, he announces he's gay. Roush makes this statement because he wants to be honest. When a press conference is called at Roush's home to explain the announcement, a woman is found murdered. And his "partner" is discovered nearby.

Senator Hammond asks Ben to act as advisor to Roush during the confirmation hearings. This proves to be challenging. Rumors are flying that the President may withdraw the nomination, or that Roush may not even get confirmed. Ben has a lot to deal with by trying to keep Roush's lifestyle and the crime out of the questioning. Witnesses come forward with such personal information about the judge that even Ben questions the truthfulness of the statements.

While trying to keep things under control in the hearings, Ben sends his investigator, Loving, out to discover the identity of the dead woman. During the investigation, he has to dodge bullets more than once. He learns that someone named Trudy can identify the woman. His search takes him to the other side of D.C.; the side of town that CNN usually doesn't cover. When he finally locates Trudy, he gets more than expected and discovers that looks can be very deceiving.

As the hearings come to a close, Ben and Loving are closing in on the identity of the dead woman. Will Judge Roush be confirmed? Who was the woman at Roush's home, and more importantly, who killed her and why?

CAPTIOL THREAT is a great thriller. This installment follows last year's critically acclaimed CAPITOL MURDER in the Ben Kincaid series. There's heart-thumping action through the streets of Washington D.C., and the always popular mudslinging through the congressional chambers. Now I need to buy another bookcase for yet another author I have somehow previously overlooked.