When the world’s most famous explorer is murdered at the Smithsonian, it’s up to a cynical Washington detective to solve the case.
Bob Fundwell dies in the Smithsonian’s Ocean Hall when the life-size replica of a whale falls from the ceiling and crushes him.
A veteran black investigator, Detective Thomas, is assigned the case. He’s witnessed two decades of bloody mayhem on the streets of the nation’s capital.
The list of suspects is long, for the victim was arrogant and controversial. Fundwell discovered the Gigantic, a legendary ocean liner that sank in the Atlantic. He became rich and famous by falsely claiming the work of his colleagues.
As he investigates the case, Thomas is lied to by people at all levels – from housing projects to the Supreme Court. Deceit is the one constant in this dysfunctional city on the eve of the 2008 election. Yet, he presses on, determined to find justice and prove that Washington has changed since the bad old days of Marion Barry.
Murder in Ocean Hall is grounded in truth. I’ve lived in Washington for nearly twenty years, the real city beyond the monuments. I also worked for NOAA for three years, where I worked with marine archeologists and scientists to communicate their work.
While the gritty DC setting of the novel is reminiscent of George Pelecanos, the story is told in the satiric tone of Christopher Buckley.
I’m an accomplished writer who won the Film DC Screenwriting Competition in 2006. My articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Hill Rag, ePolitics, CultureFlux, Pink Line Project and elsewhere. I also contributed a short story to Blog Marketing (McGraw-Hill, 2005).
Set in Washington, with a compelling story inspired by reality, Murder in Ocean Hall could be the breakout mystery of the year.