How to Have a Killer Time in D.C.
Oliver Popp's Travel Guides to Murder #1
A travel writer’s routine assignment spirals into a scandalous whirlwind in Sam Lumley’s mystery novel How to Have a Killer Time in D.C.
Oliver Popp, a gay, autistic writer with a penchant for structure, is tasked by his editors to report on tourism trends in Washington, D.C. He partners with Ricky, a charismatic and impulsive photographer, for the assignment. Their trip takes a turn when Oliver encounters his high school friend Elise, who’s in Washington to testify regarding safety regulations for self-driving cars.
When Elise is killed, her death drags Oliver and Ricky into a corporate conspiracy that eclipses their original assignment. They chase leads through the city’s sleek boardrooms and murky backstreets, uncovering damning evidence of shady practices. As they sift through suspects, Oliver also processes his discomfort with spontaneity and social unpredictability. Ricky’s street smarts unbalance Oliver’s personal and professional perspectives, coaxing him to step beyond his itinerary-bound approach. Whether navigating the polished evasions of corporate elites or stumbling through his growing attraction to Ricky, Oliver becomes more flexible and develops a better understanding of his capabilities.
Oliver narrates with biting humor, weaving together monologues and quick-witted dialogue as the mystery unfurls with measured precision. Each clue perpetuates the story’s momentum, propelling the pair deeper into unresolved threads and tantalizing loose ends. By the final pages, whispers of deeper corruption, unanswered motives, and lingering suspicions hint at future entanglements for Oliver and Ricky. Their teased chemistry is enough to carry the series into its next detour.
An unforeseen murder and a blossoming romance upend a travel writer’s life in the gripping novel How to Have a Killer Time in D.C.
Reviewed by
Brooke Shannon
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