If, like me, you just didn’t want summer to end, this month’s reads that are sure to bring back the playfulness and fun of a perfect summer afternoon!
In this month’s interview, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and DC resident, Matt FitzSimmons spoke to us about writing The Slate. Due out October 8th, The Slate will undoubtedly entice readers of FitzSimmon’s Gibson Vaughn and Constance series with its equally fast pacing, deliciously corrupt politicians, and heaps of dirty laundry.
Hill Rag: Capitol Hill is the backdrop of The Slate. In what ways did living and writing in DC inform aspects of the story?
Matt FitzSimmons: My family moved to Washington when I was twelve, so while I’m not from here I call it home. It’s hard to articulate to anyone who has lived in DC for less than twenty years how much the city has changed in that time. We’ve watched gentrification move south and east across the city, leaving the façades of neighborhoods intact while sweeping the character and memory of places clean. When most of the important locations of your youth are now a CVS, it can trigger a tedious kind of nostalgia if you’re not careful. I lent that unease to Agatha, a DC native, to highlight her isolation and discontent at the beginning of the book. She lives in her memories and is drawn to a place like Eastern Market on the weekends precisely because it has endured through so much change.
HR: You write about political corruption and ambitious politicians. Did you draw inspiration from actual scandals, events, or histories as you were writing?
MF: Not to be opaque, but I probably drew on all of them. The details of political scandal might be unique, but motivations are grimly predictable. Live here long enough, and the lifecycle of a Washington scandal takes on a familiar arc. It’s been said that the rules have changed of late, but I’d argue that the underlying algorithm weighing political capital against public outrage is remarkably resilient. Only the variables that decide if a public figure survives or resigns in disgrace change, and there are people in this town who specialize in playing those variables like instruments. In Agatha Cardiff, I wanted just such a musician. The person you want in your corner when seeing your name in the paper is no longer a cause for celebration.
HR: What inspired you to write a character like Agatha Cardiff?
MF: I’ve always been drawn to the fixer archetype – the character playing the game from the shadows who knows the lever to pull or string to pluck. Most of the great fixers in fiction have been men, although I suspect that’s not a reflection of the real world. When I first conceived of the book, it never crossed my mind that the protagonist would be anything but a woman. Agatha always felt true to me.
The Slate is reviewed below.
October Reviews:
The Slate
Fans of the television shows Scandal and House of Cards will love FitzSimmon’s breathless thriller, complete with shady power brokers and scandalous backscratching connections between the Supreme Court and the Oval Office. Through it, Agatha Cardiff juggles Washington’s secrets, a missing tenant, corruption, blackmail, and deception. Will she find her own redemption? Can she forgive herself? Or will Agatha’s past inevitably ask for a righteous comeuppance?
Hall of Mirrors
In John Copenhaver’s sexy sequel to The Savage Kind, Judy Nightingale and Philippa Watson find themselves chasing a serial killer in through the Lavender Scare in 1950s DC. When Roger Raymond, a friend and mystery writer, dies in a suspicious “homosexual suicide,” the queer investigators team up with Raymond’s grieving lover, diving into a web of shady government conspiracy. As they reencounter an old nemesis, Adrian Bodgan, expect twists, turns, and plot re-routings like a GPS in ballgame traffic. For readers who savor a brain tickle with their rising body heat, Copenhaver layers this mystery with gorgeous smatterings of queer history.
The Vanishing Man
When Yuri Kozlov dumps Mother Russia for the US, the longtime spy finds his transition to the US won’t be easy, in this first book of the new Spy Who Vanished trilogy by Alma Katsu. Would you trust the “Russian James Bond” simply because he’s defected? Yuri’s CIA handlers are not in the least convinced he’s done with international espionage, despite Yuri’s charm during debriefing and psychological probing. Yuri’s intentions are honorable, he swears! Katsu’s Red Widow made Book Riot’s list of top ten spy novels—The Vanishing Man is sure to capture similar accolades.
“Whose Democracy?”:
The Folger’s 2024 O.B. Hardison Poetry Series
fellow poetry lovers for the 56th season of the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series, showcasing the theme “Whose Democracy?” and featuring an exciting lineup of acclaimed poets like Blas Falconer, Kimiko Hahn, Paul Muldoon, Yesenia Montilla, Claudia Rankine, and more. Highlights of the season include the annual Emily Dickinson tribute, the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize, and special events like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration and the 2025 Welty Lecture by Amor Towles.
The Folger offers tickets to attend readings in person or via streaming media. Tickets start at $20 for in-person. Virtual access is pay-what-you-will. Season subscriptions and flex es are available for those looking to dive into multiple readings. Tickets available at: www.folger.edu/poetry!
Michelle La is Associate Professor of English at George Mason University. Writers of all experience levels are invited to her at the Hill Center in November for two writing classes, Writing DC and Writing Your Life. Classes provide a ive, fun afternoon of writing practice and neighborhood connection. See the programming calendar at https://www.hillcenterdc.org for more details.
