Smoke and Mirrors (1989)

Smoke and Mirrors, by Barbara Michaels, is a multiple-time re-read for me; I first encountered Ms. Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters) in the early 1980s and have read just about everything she's written - and re-read a fair number of them too. This one is particularly apt during an election season, as the setting is that of a US Senate campaign in about 1988. Young Erin Hartsock goes to work for charismatic Congresswoman Rosemary Marshall, who has given up her cozy seat in the House to run for Senate. But mysterious occurrences - the appearance of a sinister "poppet," several small fires - start to plague the campaign, and Erin and Nick McDermott, campaign media consultant and love interest, must try to determine what in Rosemary's past is returning to haunt her, before those minor incidents turn deadly.... Michaels' writing is a pleasing mixture of humour, romance and gothic suggestion, but what I especially enjoy about this book is the political angle. For example, at one point Rosemary rails against PACs: "....in actual fact, PACs were set up to get around the laws limiting the amount of individual campaign contributions. If I could afford it, I'd refuse to take PAC money, even from organizations whose aims I would ordinarily support...." Wonder what she would make of today's Super-PACs! ( )

Erin appeals to Rosemary Marshall, who is running for senator, for a job based on old family friendships. She finds herself caught up in a weird set of circumstances that eventually lead to murder.

I love this book- Barbara Michaels knows how to write a great story! ( )