Strike Me Down

The sometimes brutal, bloody world of kickboxing makes an effective and unusual backdrop for this superb thriller from Mejia (Leave No Trace). Strike, a large business dealing in athletic wear, gyms, and protein bars, is owned by marketing genius Gregg Abbott and his wife, Logan Russo, a legendary kickboxer. The couple are hosting an upcoming kickboxing tournament, Strike Down, with the winner set to earn $20 million and become the new face of Strike. With the tournament only a week away, the prize money disappears, and Gregg wants forensic accountant Nora Trier to find out where the money is stashed before the start of Strike Down. Gregg also has a suspect in mind—Logan, whom he suspects of trying to sabotage the tournament because she hates him and wants to get out of the business. Nora faces an ethical dilemma, since she has a personal connection to both Logan and Gregg. Mejia smoothly couples an intense look at three distinctive characters with a twisty, unpredictable plot. Along the way, she succeeds in making even accounting exciting. [em]Agent: Stephanie Cabot, Gernert Co. (Apr.) [/em]