The Valley of Shadows

Terry mashes the action pedal to the floor in his solid fourth Derek Stillwater novel (after The Fallen), then attempts to keep the plot and characters on the road as they careen down the thriller mountain. Derek, a Homeland Security agent, joins a team investigating a terror threat against five major U.S. cities set for election day in November. Not someone who works well with others at the best of times, Derek's dismayed to be partnered with nuclear weapons expert Cassandra O'Reilly, with whom he's had a rocky former personal and professional relationship. They have two days to locate the Pakistani mastermind behind the planned attacks, former art history professor Miraj Khan (aka Kalakar). When a final target looms in Kalakar's sights, Derek's efforts to thwart this attack provide the novel's exciting conclusion. Readers will have little time or inclination to search for subtleties as they happily race along with the indestructible Derek. (June)