One In The Chamber: A Novel

by Robin Peguero

Overview

From a former U.S. House spokesman and Senate speechwriter, a group of junior staffers working on Capitol Hill find themselves in the middle of a political standoff in this satirical novel.

Iowa Farm boy Cameron Leann is new to Washington, D.C., joining a group of employees working for a powerful cohort of U.S. Senators known as The Gang of Six. All of Cam's new colleagues have one thing in common: they hate their bosses.  

When a bombshell revelation threatens to sink the President's Supreme Court pick, the Gang of Six fractures, pitting senator against senator in a confirmation battle for the ages. Alliances shift with the wind. Everyone is lying to everyone. 

Cam and his friends are caught up in the midst of everything...and on Election Night, one senator will end up dead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538742464
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	03/26/2024
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Robin Peguero spent seven years storytelling to juries for a living, most recently as a homicide prosecutor in Miami. An Afro-Latino and the son of immigrants, he graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He has written for the Miami Herald, the Harvard Crimson, and the Harvard Law Review, and he served as a press spokesman in the U.S. House, a speechwriter in the U.S. Senate before becoming a lawyer, and an investigative counsel on the House Select Committee Investigating the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. He is currently Chief of Staff to a member of Congress.

Editorial Reviews

02/05/2024

A deadly Supreme Court confirmation battle forms the backbone of this over-the-top political thriller from Peguero (With Prejudice) . On the night of the 2024 presidential election, an unnamed narrator, whose hands are covered in a senator’s blood, confesses to murder in a congressional committee room. The story then flashes back three months, when Cam Leann is introduced as the newest intern on the staff of Iowa Democrat Bill Williams, one of six powerful senators on the Judiciary Committee known as the “Gang of Six.” Cam quickly makes friends with other Gang of Six staffers, including the charismatic Liz Frost and playboy Randy Lancaster. Not only is a contentious presidential election looming, but the sudden death of the Supreme Court’s octogenarian chief justice has created a vacancy just weeks before the polls open. When the president nominates conservative Black judge Frederick Wright, it divides the Gang of Six. Cam’s crew fractures as well, the fissures eventually leading to the murder teased in the book’s opening pages. Peguero tosses in plenty of details pulled from real-life confirmation hearings and recent presidential elections, but they seem out of place amid the outlandish plot twists, which fail to make up for a weak central mystery. Even Scandal fans will find this far-fetched. Agent: Michael Nardullo, Levine Greenberg Rostan. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

In a patrician-sounding voice, narrator Zion Jang portrays a group of Washington, DC, interns. The senators they serve, known as the "Gang of Six," are considered the wheeler-dealers of the Senate. One of them is about to die. Listeners will enjoy Jang's performance as he creates a personality for each of the interns by changing tone and rhythm. Especially notable is Cameron Leann, a farm boy from Iowa, who is the outlier in this otherwise close-knit group. Jang presents the senators with well-done Southern drawls and the raspy voices of smokers. The atmosphere is filled with intimidation, envy, and revenge. While the interns' dialogue with authorities about the murder is included in earlier chapters, who did it and why isn't revealed until the last. E.E.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

JULY 2024 - AudioFile

"One in the Chamber is a wild, wickedly fun ride! Robin Peguero’s latest delivers a smart thriller-mystery while also turning a satirical eye on Capitol Hill culture and the twenty-somethings that underpin it, ricocheting among their desires for power, friendship, love, sex, and vengeance. I devoured this book!"—Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of "Remarkably Bright Creatures"

"One in the Chamber is a snarky, vicious political mystery of my dreams, a perfect mix of gossily DC intrigue and high-minded political and legal ideas. If The West Wing was set in Capitol Hill and featured a diverse cohort of brilliant but troubled junior staffers – and made you want to burn down the republic – that's One in the Chamber. The final shocking chapter had me reeling and thinking for days. A brave, gripping, and provocative book." —Ashley Winstead, author of "Midnight is the Darkest Hour"

Praise for With Prejudice 

“With Prejudice is a brilliant debut, full stop. Written with warmth, humanity, and raw emotion, this is both a gripping thriller and an insightful look at the complexities of American crime and punishment.”—Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Will Find You and The Match

“Robin Peguero’s With Prejudice is an outstanding courtroom thriller, told with an engaging focus on the jury room. Peguero’s inside knowledge of the legal system brings an air of authenticity to every page. Highly recommended!”—Scott Turow, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Presumed Innocent and The Last Trial

“One of the best legal thrillers I’ve ever read. Tense, exciting, and full of twists and turns, with fascinating insights into the intricate workings of the courtroom. With Prejudice is a deeply human story that reveals all the ways that justice isn’t blind. It sees through many eyes.”—Joe Ide, author of IQ and Smoke

“With Prejudice is a fast, entertaining courtroom drama by an author who knows the ins and outs of the justice system. Peguero employs both his legal expertise and authorial sleight of hand to throw down twists and turns you will not see coming.”—Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay

From the Publisher