2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

As a new year dawns in the capital city, dual scandals rock the Metropolitan Police Department—and Lieutenant Sam Holland is right in the middle of them.

Chief Farnsworth is catching heat for the way he handled a recent homicide investigation, and Detective Gonzales is accused of failing to disclose an earlier connection to the judge who decided his custody hearing. When Gonzo’s fight for his child turns deadly and he has a shaky alibi, Sam must defend two of her closest colleagues. All while her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano, settles into his new office at the White House. Nick begins to wonder if the president is using him for a political boost, and his worries mount over a complication in the plans to adopt Scotty at a time when Sam is being put through the wringer by the always-rabid D.C. press corps. As the evidence against Gonzo piles up, Sam suspects someone is gunning for her—and her team.

Settings
Washington, DC
Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia
Bermuda

24 Chapters
Epilogue

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Samantha (Sam) Holland Cappuano:Washington DC metro police lieutenant in charge of city's homicide detective squad. She's married to Nick. She is 35-years old and has toffee-colored hair and pale blue eyes.
Nick Cappuano:Married to Sam. US senator from Virginia, serving out John O'Connor's term. He's 37-years old and 6'4" with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
Scotty Dunlap: 12-year old boy who is now Sam & Nick’s foster son. He lived in a VA state home and was befriended by Nick during a visit. He and Sam have applied to adopt him.
Shelby Faircloth: Sam's wedding planner who was hired to manage Sam's and Nick's household. She’s now their personal assistant and helps with Scotty. Sam calls her Tinker Bell.
Frederico (Freddie) Cruz: Sam's partner. He's living with Elin.
Elin Svendsen:Freddie's girlfriend.
Jeannie McBride: Homicide detective that works on Sam's homicide team and partnered with Will Tyrone. She’s now engaged to Michael.
Michael Wilkinson: Jeannie's boyfriend.
Will Tyrone: Jeannie's partner.
Tommy (Gonzo) Gonzales: Detective sergeant on Sam's homicide team. He's engaged to Christina and is baby Alex's father. He has full custody.
Christina Billings: Nick's former chief of staff who's engaged to Gonzo. She's now home full time taking care of Alex.
Alejandro (Alex): Gonzo's baby son.
Arnold Arnold: Detective on Sam's homicide team. Gonzo's partner.
Dani Carlucci: Detective and member of Sam's homicide team, third shift. Partnered with Gigi.
Giselle (Gigi) Dominguez: Detective and member of Sam's homicide team, third shift. Partnered with Dani.
Skip Holland: Sam's father, former Deputy Chief shot on duty years ago. Married to Celia.
Celia Holland: Sam's stepmother, married to Skip. She’s a former nurse.
Graham O'Connor: Former US senator from Virginia who is married to Laine. He's the father of John, Terry and Lizbeth and is very close to Nick.
Laine O'Connor: Married to Graham and Nick's surrogate mother. Terry, Lizbeth and John's mother.
John O'Connor: Former U. S. senator from Virginia who was murdered. Nick is completing his remaining term. Son of Graham and Lainie.
Terry O'Connor: Nick's chief of staff and son of Graham and Laine. He's Lindsay's fiancé.
Lindsey McNamara: Chief medical examiner. She's Terry O'Connor's fiancée.
Byron Tomlinson: Deputy chief medical examiner.
Trevor Donnelly: Nick's communication director.
Joe Farnsworth: Chief of police.
Helen: Farnsworth's admin.
Conklin: Deputy chief.
Malone: Detective Captain, Sam's mentor.
Lieutenant Stahl: Former head of IAB now facing trial for attempted murder.
Archie Archelotta: Police lieutenant in charge of the IT division. He was once romantically involved with Sam.
Norris: Lieutenant over Public Affairs.
Davidson: Lieutenant who heads SVU.
Erica Lucas: SVU detective.
Ramsey: Special Victims Unit (SVU) detective.
Harper: Special Victims Unit (SVU) detective. Ramsey's partner.
Rango: Lieutenant in charge of the Crime Scene Unit.
Jack Roback: Head of Vice Squad.
Cole McDonald: Lieutenant in the Vice Squad.
Jessica Townsend: Metropolitan Police Department counsel.
Charity Miller: Assistant U.S. attorney.
Forrester: U.S. Attorney.
Avery Hill: FBI agent in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division in Washington, DC.
George Terrell: FBI deputy director of the Criminal Investigation Division under Avery.
Troy Hamilton: FBI Director.
Ambrose Pierce: Secret Service Director.
John (Brant) Brantley, Jr.: Lead Secret Service agent on Nick's detail.
Melinda: Agent on Nick's detail.
Darcy: Agent on Scotty's detail.
Andy Simone: Gonzo's attorney who's a friend of Nick's.
Harry Flynn: Nick's friend and Sam's doctor.
Dr. Anderson: George Washington Hospital ER doctor that treats Sam.
Dr. Simsbury:Plastic surgeon.
David Nelson: President of the United States.
Joe Gooding: Vice President of the United States.
Mike Zorn: Virginia governor.
Judy Zorn: Virginia governor's wife.
William Stenhouse: Senate Minority leader.
Brandon Halliwell: Democratic National Committee Chair.
Richard Claiborne: Speaker of the House.
Mitchell Sanborn: Former Chair of Democratic National Committee who was jailed for rape and murder and the kidnapping and rape of Detective McBride.
Tom Hanigan: White House chief of staff.
Derek Kavanaugh: White House deputy chief of staff and Nick's friend who discovered his wife Victoria's murdered body. He's the father of their toddler daughter, Maeve.
Maeve Kavanaugh: Derek and Victoria's 13-month old baby.
Angela Radcliffe: Sam's sister, married to Mike and mother of their two children, Jack and Ella (newborn).
Spencer Radcliffe: Angela's husband.
Jack Radcliffe: Sam's nephew, Angela and Spencer's son.
Ella Holland Radcliffe: Sam's new niece, Angela and Spence's new baby daughter.
Tracy Hogan: Sam's oldest sister who's married to Mike. She has three children, Brooke, Abby and Ethan.
Mike Hogan: Tracy's husband and father of their three children, Brooke, Abby and Ethan.
Brooke Hogan: Sam's niece, Tracy's belligerent teenaged daughter.
Ethan Hogan: Tracy's son.
Abby Hogan: Tracy's daughter, Sam's niece.
Brenda Ross: Sam's mother.
Lilia Van Nostrand: Sam's chief of staff as Second Lady.
Darren Tabor: Newspaper reporter for the Washington Star.
Irene Littlefield: Runs the VA state children's home where Scotty lived.
Lucien Haverfield: O'Connor family attorney.
Brice: On Scotty's security detail.
Toni: On Scotty's security detail.
Peter Gibson: Sam's ex husband.
Lori Phillips: Alex's biological mother.
Norman Morganthau: Retired Medical examiner from Fitzgerald case
Cameron Fitzgerald: Likely suspect in his brother's death
Tyler Fitzgerald: Boy murdered in park years ago. Cameron’s brother.
Alice Fitzgerald: Tyler and Cameron's mother.
Melissa Woodmansee: Sam's former high school friend who's in jail for multiple murders. Freddie shot her hand off.

Non Recurring Characters
Rex Connelly: Lori's ex-boyfriend.
Justine Travers: Social worker handling Alex's case.
Mark Angelo: Gonzo's friend who was with him when he first met Lori.
Sara Angelo: Lori's best friend and Mark's sister.
Liam Hughes: Man Lori's dating.
Leon Morton: Family Court judge presiding over Gonzo's custody case.
Andre Elliott: Man who assaulted Elin at the gym.
William (Billy) Springer, Jr.: William's son who was killed when police tried to arrest him for his brother's murder and his eight friends.
Marissa Springer: Married to Bill Springer and mother of their four children, including Billy and Hugo.
William (Bill) Springer: Defense attorney who's son, Billy, was killed by police when they attempted to arrest him for the murder of his younger brother and eight of his friends.
Edna Chan: Springer family maid.
Monica Taylor: CBC television news reporter for Good Morning DC.
James Donlon: Private investigator.
Tony D'Alessandro: Gonzo’s building manager.
(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Stahl was behind the assault on Elin, Lori Phillips’ and Bill Springer’s murder and the abduction and attempted murder of Sam. He was helped by Marissa Springer who he shot and almost killed. Sam was seriously hurt before she was rescued by her team and SWAT.

Scotty’s father was found and he met with him in New Jersey, along with Sam and Nick. His name is Tony and he agreed to sign over his parental rights but asked that Scotty keep in touch with him by email.

Shelby is pregnant and doesn’t know if her child was fathered by Avery or the anonymous donor. He finally told her that he’d had feelings for Sam before but is all in with her. She was angry not only with him but Sam and Nick for not telling her. She went away to Bermuda but Avery followed her and brought her home.

Freddie went to the jail cell of Andre Elliott and beat him up after covering up the camera. (hide spoiler)]

Like the plot of this book couldn't be seen books ago. Nick is now Vice President and Sam continues to work as a homicide detective. That happens a lot, right? The President is using Nick? What a shock. Since when does the defendant have to disclose a previous relationship with a judge? I thought it was the judge's responsibility to recuse themselves. Gonzo's baby mama turns up dead and he's a suspect? What a shock. This series continues to stretch the bounds of creditability. I expect at least some ties to reality in the books I read.

I have it at home.