Eve

In Johansen's gripping 11th Eve Duncan novel (after Chasing the Night), the first of a trilogy, the forensic sculptor zeros in on the kidnapper and serial killer who years earlier abducted and murdered her seven-year-old daughter, Bonnie. Eve's obsession with the case draws in her good friend, CIA agent Catherine Ling, as well as her lover and would-be protector, police detective Joe Quinn. In spite of their problematic relationships due to Eve's protracted and intense search, Ling and Quinn work together to call in favors and pursue every possible lead. Their joint efforts uncover a cadre of sharply drawn malefactors who may be deeply involved, notably emotionally unstable John Gallo, Eve's former lover and Bonnie's father, who spent six years as a prisoner in North Korea. The explosive finale set in the Wisconsin woods leads to an emotional cliffhanger, as Johansen deftly baits the hook for the next volume. 400,000 first printing. (Apr.)