Review of The Senator's Suitcase
Posted: 23 Oct 2021, 18:15
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Senator's Suitcase" by Mitch Engel.]
Mitch Engel’s, The Senator’s Suitcase is a captivating, thought-provoking, 3-part story told from the perspectives of a mother, reliving her long-buried past through flashbacks and a son, trying to understand his mother’s personality and the events that led to her outstanding yet very secretive life.
In the first part, Troy Davenport, a 35-year old sociology professor, is still reeling from the unexpected demise of his mother, the highly esteemed Senator Beth Davenport, when he stumbles upon an unsettling finding, a suitcase containing millions of dollars from an unknown source, left in a forgotten storage locker. This realization makes Troy question everything he knows about his mother and her so-called incorruptible persona. Soon after, the Davenport’s family lawyers drop another bombshell on him, leading him to further realize how little he truly knows of his parents’ lives and the events that led to their estrangement from the family. He sets out on an adventure in hopes of uncovering his family’s secrets and finding answers for the questions he’s always had about his mother, her life, her past, and the motives behind everything she’s ever done. Along the journey, Troy finds true love and stumbles on the surprising realization that his mother might have been a much better person than everyone thought she was.
In the second part, we find Senator Beth Davenport reminiscing over her past for the first time in decades, just mere hours before her life tragically ends. In flashbacks, we see her life unfurling, revealing a journey of heartbreak, abuse, tragedy but also success, friendship, sacrifice, and unconditional love so strong it defied all hardships in the most unconventional of ways. The series of events revealed, so poignant and significant, lead the Senator to a path of power and determination to change the lives of millions of women in an effort to protect others from ever having to endure what she went through and suffer the emotional and physical toll it took on her.
There is absolutely nothing I didn’t love about this book. Engel’s, The Senator’s Suitcase is a perfect mixture of political drama, mystery, and suspense. The author included so many important topics, including women’s struggles in the workplace and in daily life just to get their most basic of rights. He also discussed important ethical and sexual issues, including homosexuality and sexual assault. What I loved most in this book was the character development. Engel’s character development was by far the best I’ve ever seen. He manages to transform your opinion on the characters throughout the story, from admiring them to mistrusting them to absolutely loving them. Their stories left me feeling extremely emotional throughout the book and the ending gave me tremendous peace.
This book was exceptionally well-edited and written. There were no gaps or mistakes at any point in the plot. I give this book a rare but well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars for the beautiful story and the lessons it taught me. I personally recommend this book to readers interested in books with a combination of suspense and heartfelt drama and above the age of 16 since there are a few instances of sexual content.
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The Senator's Suitcase
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Mitch Engel’s, The Senator’s Suitcase is a captivating, thought-provoking, 3-part story told from the perspectives of a mother, reliving her long-buried past through flashbacks and a son, trying to understand his mother’s personality and the events that led to her outstanding yet very secretive life.
In the first part, Troy Davenport, a 35-year old sociology professor, is still reeling from the unexpected demise of his mother, the highly esteemed Senator Beth Davenport, when he stumbles upon an unsettling finding, a suitcase containing millions of dollars from an unknown source, left in a forgotten storage locker. This realization makes Troy question everything he knows about his mother and her so-called incorruptible persona. Soon after, the Davenport’s family lawyers drop another bombshell on him, leading him to further realize how little he truly knows of his parents’ lives and the events that led to their estrangement from the family. He sets out on an adventure in hopes of uncovering his family’s secrets and finding answers for the questions he’s always had about his mother, her life, her past, and the motives behind everything she’s ever done. Along the journey, Troy finds true love and stumbles on the surprising realization that his mother might have been a much better person than everyone thought she was.
In the second part, we find Senator Beth Davenport reminiscing over her past for the first time in decades, just mere hours before her life tragically ends. In flashbacks, we see her life unfurling, revealing a journey of heartbreak, abuse, tragedy but also success, friendship, sacrifice, and unconditional love so strong it defied all hardships in the most unconventional of ways. The series of events revealed, so poignant and significant, lead the Senator to a path of power and determination to change the lives of millions of women in an effort to protect others from ever having to endure what she went through and suffer the emotional and physical toll it took on her.
There is absolutely nothing I didn’t love about this book. Engel’s, The Senator’s Suitcase is a perfect mixture of political drama, mystery, and suspense. The author included so many important topics, including women’s struggles in the workplace and in daily life just to get their most basic of rights. He also discussed important ethical and sexual issues, including homosexuality and sexual assault. What I loved most in this book was the character development. Engel’s character development was by far the best I’ve ever seen. He manages to transform your opinion on the characters throughout the story, from admiring them to mistrusting them to absolutely loving them. Their stories left me feeling extremely emotional throughout the book and the ending gave me tremendous peace.
This book was exceptionally well-edited and written. There were no gaps or mistakes at any point in the plot. I give this book a rare but well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars for the beautiful story and the lessons it taught me. I personally recommend this book to readers interested in books with a combination of suspense and heartfelt drama and above the age of 16 since there are a few instances of sexual content.
******
The Senator's Suitcase
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
