Deceived

At age 35, Nick Ford is a bland but successful government accountant. His quiet life is disrupted when, following up on billing discrepancies in a government contract, he unravels a conspiracy that ranges from money laundering to blackmail and worse. And, just as things in the General Accounting Office seem to be falling apart, Ford's new assistant--the gorgeous and plucky Meg Taylor--threatens his emotional routine. Ford and Taylor are barely flirting before their co-worker, Scott Johnson, is murdered. Trying to keep his emotions in check, Ford enlists Taylor's help in pursuing the killers, uncovering a powerful international network whose plans are bigger and more sinister than the accountant can possibly imagine. And that's the problem: unable to figure out what they're up to, Ford falls for obvious deceits--which is the only thing that keeps the plot alive. Koeper (Exposed) doles out his clues too slowly, as if the secret to suspense is simply to coyly disseminate information. The resolution provides no relief, as the reader can easily stay two steps ahead of the characters. (May)