Dangerous Waters

The author of The Little Brother offers a stirring new thriller that begins with an act of adultery and becomes a bloody tale of deceit and greed. Riley Burke, partner in a successful Boston advertising agency, has been married 10 years to gorgeous fashion model Ellen when he initiates a flirtation with Rachel, an account executive at his firm. While launching his sloop the Spindrift with Rachel in Newport, R.I., a drunken Riley gets embroiled in a fight between a good-looking young drug dealer named Cory and an assailant with a Southern accent. A few days later, with Ellen on board, he discovers Cory's corpse, a bag of cocaine stuffed in its mouth, under the Spindrift. Riley becomes a murder suspect and loses his job, then Ellen is killed while hiding out under the supposed protection of her ex-lover, her husband's business partner Nick. Having lost everything he valued in life, Riley relentlessly pursues all leads toward Cory's murderer, in this briskly paced and surprising story. (Nov.)