Reviews

Hurwitz (Last Shot) blasts new life into a well-worn theme-the prominent politician trying to hide a dark incident from his past-in this intelligent thriller. Late one night, the Secret Service snatches 36-year-old Nick Horrigan, who's led a quiet life since making a fatal mistake in his teens, and whisks him to the San Onofre, Calif., nuclear plant. There a terrorist threatens to set off a bomb unless he can talk to Nick, who hasn't got the slightest idea why he's been summoned. After the terrorist gets his head blown off, Nick realizes this and subsequent events are connected to the death years earlier of his Secret Service agent stepfather. Working with his homeless pal, Homer, and his computer whiz ex-girlfriend, Induma, Nick pieces together a string of clues that point to a paternity case against either the U.S. president, Andrew Bilton, or Sen. Jasper Caruthers, Bilton's opponent in an upcoming election. While more astute readers may intuit the bad guy, Nick's ethical dilemmas, girlfriend dramas and sleuthing provide plenty of excitement. Author tour. (June) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Adult/High School-This stand-alone political thriller starts out with a bang. Nick is kidnapped from his Los Angeles apartment by government agents and airlifted to a nuclear facility where a terrorist is threatening massive destruction unless he talks to Nick. Alone. It all leads back to the murder of Nick's stepfather, Frank, years before. Frank was his role model, part of the Secret Service detail guarding then-Vice President Caruthers. He was that rare government agent who couldn't be bought. Nick was framed for the crime by the government. At 17, he was told he could either disappear or go to prison. After years of running, he is back in LA determined to solve the murder. There are too many twists and turns to number, but suffice it to say that Caruthers is now running for president, and the stakes are high. This is a thriller with heart, anchored by a realistic father-son relationship. Teens will identify with Nick's struggle to find his place in the world. While he always believed in Frank's code of conduct, until now he walked away when the going got tough and never trusted anyone enough to ask for help. Now Nick refuses to give up his investigation even in the face of threats and violence. And he learns to be honest with his mother and with an intriguing ex-girlfriend. Nick's personal journey will hook genre fans as surely as the fast pace, cutting-edge technology, and political machinations.-Angela Carstensen, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Hurwitz (The Crime Writer) tells the story of Nick Horrigan, a loner still trying to deal with the death of his Secret Service agent stepfather years earlier and his potential unwitting involvement in the murder. In the middle of the night, he is taken into custody by agents to a nuclear power plant to meet with a terrorist who refuses to speak with anyone but Nick. Before the terrorist is killed, he gives Nick information that draws him back into his stepfather's death as well as a possible political conspiracy related to the presidential campaign underway. Nick is forced to find people he can trust, while he attempts to learn who is watching him and whether the current crisis might be related to his stepfather's killing. VERDICT Using the first person, Hurwitz creates a protagonist who is intriguing and a mystery that is not completely revealed until the end. He keeps the reader guessing about the motives of nearly every character. This will definitely appeal to readers of David Baldacci, Lee Child, and Harlan Coben.--Joel W. Tscherne, Bryant & Stratton Coll., Cleveland Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.