Smoke and Mirrors — Elizabeth Peters

Previously published under the pseudonym Barbara Michaels (January 1989)

An idealistic young woman finds working a political campaign can be murder in this romantic suspense novel by “a master storyteller” (Mary Higgins Clark).

Young Erin Hartsock arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition -- and little interest in politics. However, when she's offered a position on a congresswoman's campaign for the Senate, she's more than happy to flee her dead-end job to take on what she expects will be boring administrative work . . .

But as the campaign heats up, disturbing events follow. There's a string of dangerous fires, a violent attack, and a seemingly accidental death. Erin begins to wonder about her colleagues all while they grow suspicious of her. Someone's got a secret -- and with the election looming, Erin must quickly uncover who's behind the chaos before she becomes a prime candidate for murder.