Shot Caller

A hostage standoff within one of the two Enhanced Supervision Housing units at New York’s Rikers Island drives Danna’s solid sequel to 2020’s Exit Strategy. Two rival gangs—the Filero Kings and the Gutta Boys—have each taken multiple hostages, including correction officers and inmates, making the situation particularly complex. When Det. Gemma Capello of the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team succeeds in reaching Eduardo Rivas of the Filero Kings, who seems to be in charge of the fragile inmate hierarchy, she asks for his list of demands. But Rivas says he’ll only give them to reporter Greg Coulter, Gemma’s nemesis. Gemma reluctantly agrees and seems to be making progress after she arranges with Rivas to get medical care for the hostages. But when a Gutta Boy hangs a Filero King, things start to spin out of control. The prison’s warden is set up as an antagonist, but feels underdeveloped, and at times the discussion of police procedure gets repetitive. Still, Danna’s convincing portrayal of the hostage negotiating process and life at Rikers keep the pages turning. Readers will look forward to Gemma’s next outing. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Sept.)