National Maul — Jeff Shelby

If there's anything Mack Mercy hates more than politics, it's politicians.

So when former classmate Prescott Martin, a Virginia politician, calls him with a problem, Mack is reluctant to meet with him. They were never friends in high school and Mack has zero desire to reunite or help. But when Prescott insists that someone is trying to kill him, Mack reluctantly agrees to look into it…especially since there's a big fat paycheck involved.

Mack digs into the details of the case and soon realizes that he's not the only one who despises Prescott. The man has left a swath of burned bridges and soured relationships in his wake, with plenty of people for Mack to investigate. Suspects are coming out of the woodwork, and suddenly Mack realizes that Prescott's worries might actually be justified.

As he uncovers more clues and ominous connections, Mack knows he needs to act fast. Not just because Prescott's life might actually be at stake, but because his might be, too.