Shadow Maker

Early in Hannibal’s entertaining if overstuffed third thriller featuring special ops warrior Nick Baron (after 2013’s Shadow Catcher), a suicide bomber blows himself up near the Health and Human Services building in Washington, D.C. Nick, his wife, toddler son, and father escape serious injury in their car near the explosion, which was masterminded by the Qaim, aka “the Emissary of the Mahdi,” who has made it a high priority to commit acts of terrorism and to wreak vengeance on Nick, his family, and friends. Nick and his long-term teammate, Drake Merigold, race around the globe trying to head off both a biological attack and a nuclear bomb, always one step behind the brilliant Emissary. The addition of legendary Hashashin assassins and some secret codes nudges the plot into Da Vinci Code territory, but the book ends strongly with a down-to-the-wire, page-turning chase. Hopefully, Hannibal will try for a tighter focus next time. Agent: Harvey Klinger, Harvey Klinger Inc. (June)