Driven

Driven 

Dealing with suspects Rita gets violent at times when their answers do not match up. Witnessing what happened to Bob Iby forces her hand and she gives up reporting to go after the truth with obstacles in her way, becoming a target for a killer and then taking on another case too. Karin Van Dreem comes into her office and unknowingly will become part of her life as her Ex- husband is doing more than just stalking her. Promising to watch her house hoping that she can do both cases at once. Meet her neighbor Loretta, who has a memory issue and often wanders off and needs to be found. To investigate the death of Bobby she enters the hotel room, sees what they think happened and then learns the name of the maid who found him. Filing that away in order to question her. Meet Huntley Shell working at the Star and hoping for some inside information with the as she sees it as murder case of Bobby. He was working on several stories but the one that seems the most probable is the PAC money piece con Senator Britt Hillman. He  sent letters and he and Bobby got into a shouting match at a press conference where the Senator denied the charges. Hillman shoved Bobby and I quote: rumormongers should be shot and Bobby was in his glory. But, did this hurt his re-election? Next Karin Van Dreem’s house and taking her job to watch her house and her seriously. But the person she sees and calls 911 on is the security guard that is the night manager of her development. Then to visit the Sheriff and hopefully getting to see the files on Bobby’s case. As the title says she is driven to find the truth no matter what it takes. Her past comes into play as we learn her preferences in relationships and we meet Beverly her assistant she Mary Margaret “Smooth.” The author shares the information in the files , the crime scene photos and more. The place she is staying is anything but state if the art but she needs to question the maid hoping she remembers something. Was he expecting someone? Was she telling the truth ? Where did the torn up money in the hotel room come from? Next he mortician and the ME. But first someone in the management office. Then the ME or town drunk and this interaction did not go as expected. Her final words although inappropriate were accurate. 

Young Joe Friendly is the mortician whose astute knowledge and visual description of the body brings a different dynamic to the case and agreeing with her it was murder. Then the deputy sheriff decides to get even with her for getting the information it will  she press charges against him for inappropriate behavior? The case takes her in many directions as she questions Bobby’s brother using skills that are not exactly polished and treating him like a bad student who gets an extra assignment over the weekend. Telling her about his brother’s drug addiction, the coke dealer he borrowed money from to help his son and he was paying him back. 

Throughout the novel Rita faces many different situations and we learn more about Karin and her abusive husband as several more incidents happen hoping Rita will be able to stop him from killing her client. Who out  rags in the heat ducks and caused a fire? Who was behind incident? 

Pieces do not fall into place that easily as we get to know her assistant in depth, Mary Margaret and Dr.Douglas Sevier who taught clinical psychology and more. Their interactions were tense and his lies boldly told as Rita had one thought in mind: to jump over the desk and….you figure it out but not leaving before she makes her verbal threats and arrested. Her process of investigating is unorthodox and at times over the top. 

Learning more about the health bill , Peter DeVane who  is running the campaign and claims to be working on the voting profile  for the healthcare bill. There are many underlying and hidden factors about this bill as they claim it will benefit so many.

Next stop the Mexican Embassy where her remarks are at times inappropriate and dealing with the official proves enlightening but as she tells him before getting out of his limo: she is going to find out if this man had anything to do with Bobby’s death. Her threats are real and the end result might not turn out as she hopes. 

Meeting with the chief of staff of Charles Strutt, Randy Wyman to learn more about him and Ellis. Learning about DeVane’s past could take him down if it comes out. But the stunt she pulled on DeVane is priceless and information she might need to piece it together. The basis is the healthcare legislation and learning more from Dalton Foster and that his company as a contract with the Mexican Trade Counsul brings out more hidden information and Rita of course has her own perspective. With the help of her journalist friend,Kate, Detective Mary Margaret and her assistant she pieces it together and faces off with not one but two killers. Who killed Bobby and why? What happens when Karim and Rita are targeted by her ex, the ending is tension filled and the lives of both Rita and Karim take different directions as Rita decides what’s next?

Strong willed, outspoken, overwhelming, crass at times and hardheaded, Rita Mars: Driven: don’t mess with her!

Fran Lewis just reviews