I know there's an answer

What a great day: the sun is shining on the capital, 'er indoors has gone off to Dungeness with mates for the weekend, the boy is at friends hoose, Pet Sounds is blasting out the speakers - yes, a great day, indeed.
I may have mentioned in earlier post that one of my favourite authors is the great US crime fiction writer George P Pelecanos. I'm currently on the fourth of his DC quartet series, Shame The Devil.
Here's a taster:

"The Capitol loomed dead ahead, crowning the street. On this particular winter day, the press and public were fixated on the alleged extramarital affairs of the sitting president and giving odds on his possible impeachment. It was the media event of the decade, the subject of sarcastic lunch conversations all across town. But few talked about the real crime of this city, not anymore: American children were undernourished, criminally undereducated, and living in a viper's nest of drugs, violence and despair within a mile of the Capitol dome. It should have been a national disgrace. But hunger and poverty had never been tabloid sexy. Beyond the occasional obligatory lip service, the truth was that no one in a position of power cared."

Pelecanos - he's good. He's very good. He oozes cool and his writing is packed with great musical references. Visit his website and find out more info on this great writer.