Girls, Crimes, and the Ruling Body by Barry R. Ziman

Brimming with barely contained tension and a razor-sharp political edge, Girls, Crimes, and the Ruling Body by Barry R. Ziman is a linguistically rich ride through the halls of power.

Ryan McNeil works in the messy world of New York congressional politics, but also gets unwittingly tangled up in the disappearance of a young woman, as one of the last people to see her alive. The high-profile case could tank his career, but also threatens his freedom, leading him and his dauntless girlfriend to begin an investigation of their own, despite the mounting dangers and the target that has settled on his shoulders. What unfolds is an unpredictable and complex political conspiracy that cuts far deeper than a single murder, and stretches to the nation’s capital.

For political junkies and conspiracy theorists alike, this fast-paced drama ticks all the boxes, but there are some execution issues that can’t be ignored. The plot jumps around frenetically, with characters being only partially introduced before a new piece of this sprawling puzzle is introduced. The prose is overworked at times, with unusual syntactical choices that give the author a unique voice, but makes the verbiage feel forced, obfuscating meaning and impact for the sake of a clever turn of phrase. In contrast, the dialogue moves the story along, but occasionally feels monotone, which can undercut the suspense in some scenes.

That said, given our uncertain times, the clear theme of toxic politics versus righteous truth-telling is compelling, and Ziman’s obvious love for language and character building shines through this spiraling political mystery.