Wolf Winter

After the smooth entertainment and suspense of her bestseller Night Sky, the far more ponderous start of Francis's second novel is disappointing initially. Norwegian explorer Hal Starheim is tormented by his part in a military operation that goes awry during the Cold War years, an undertaking in which his friend Jan Johansen is killed by Russian border guards. Although the incident is thoroughly investigated, no satisfactory explanation of why Jan might have crossed Finland's neutral border into Russia is ever divulged. His young widow, Ragna, vents her rage and loneliness by working to block the installation of a top-secret military base on land precious to the nomadic Lapp tribes, a battle that brings her and Hal unknowingly into contact with a superbly narcissistic Soviet spy. Like a series of dominos, Francis sets meticulous plot lines, lush descriptions and highly colored characters in place for an exhilarating finale on the icy reaches of the high plateau in dispute. 100,000 first printing; $125,000 ad/promo; Reader's Digest Condensed Book; BOMC alternate. (January 29)