As the nation mourns her passing, one individual is left wondering.

Senator Beth Davenport was a rarity in Washington – a revered statesperson with a spotless reputation who served the public interest. But away from the Halls of Congress, basic human emotions did not come naturally. To Troy Davenport, his mother would forever remain an enigma. Among her belongings, he stumbles upon a suitcase containing millions of dollars and now questions whether she was just another dirty politician. In his search for answers, Troy pieces together the mosaic of his mother’s past and tries to reconcile her public persona with her private one. Along the way, he also happens to fall head-over-heels for a woman who becomes his sounding board and wailing wall.

Mitch Engel’s satirical stories weave contemporary themes with timeless human values. His previous novels, Deadly Virtues, Noble Windmills, and Crimes of Arrogance are widely available. After heading one of the country’s largest ad agencies at age 36, Engel later became a senior executive with a Fortune 500 company. He and his wife split time between Ocean Ridge, Florida, and Lake Forest, Illinois.