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The
seven deadly sins help propel this provocative, sex-fueled thriller from
bestseller Brown (Ricochet). Foster Speakman, an eccentric Texas
paraplegic millionaire, offers $500,000 to Griff Burkett, a disgraced former NFL
quarterback fresh out of prison after serving a five-year sentence for
racketeering, to impregnate Foster's wife, Laura. Foster insists the child be
conceived naturally ("The way God intended"). Broke with no prospects, Griff
takes the job. Meanwhile, Stanley Rodarte, the crooked detective behind Griff's
arrest, is bent on pinning an unsolved murder on him and takes to terrorizing
Griff and those close to him in the hopes of nailing him when he self-destructs.
After Griff's stint as stud takes a bad turn, the ex-footballer must track down
the one man who can secure his freedom. The tension builds as lust, greed,
pride, wrath and envy threaten to undo everyone in this tightly told tale of
modern temptation. (Aug.)
Ex-cop Ric Alvarado, after receiving word that Florida mobster Gordon Burns may
be working with international terrorists, manages to gain access to Burns's
inner circle in prolific bestseller Brockmann's enjoyable 11th Troubleshooters
thriller (after 2006's Into the Storm). Alvarado's feat brings him to the
attention of Jules Cassidy, a maverick FBI agent and counterterrorism expert
derided by fellow agents for being gay. The message of tolerance and the
personal issues-Cassidy's relationship with closeted Hollywood leading man Robin
Chadwick; Alvarado's crush on his attractive assistant, Annie Dugan; Cassidy's
determined struggle for acceptance and recognition-at times interfere with the
terrorist plot in the mix of undercover police work and romance, but romantic
suspense fans should be well satisfied. (Aug.)
·
Last
seen in 2006's Crisis, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery
diligently investigates an abrupt rise in infection deaths at the start of
bestseller Cook's lively new thriller. All the deaths can be traced to three
Manhattan hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Unbeknownst to Montgomery,
Angels, which specializes in high-profit surgeries of amply insured patients, is
on the verge of going public and can't risk any bad publicity. She's also
unaware that Angels' main financial backer is a local Mafia don, who's prepared
to kill anyone standing in the way of his investment. Cook smoothly juggles
several subplots-one involving Montgomery's husband and fellow coroner, Jack
Stapleton, who's suffered a serious knee injury playing basketball-and ekes out
maximum value from one of his regular standbys, bumbling hoods. It all adds up
to an entertaining mix of suspense, action and education about medical issues.
(Aug.)
