Goliath

Lauren Giordano, stepdaughter of Britain's Secretary of State for Defense Jeffrey Rylance, has disappeared with her Basque boyfriend, Fernandes, who, evidence suggests, is a terrorist. In an effort to keep the search for the missing girl quiet, Rylance enlists the aid of the government's Central Crimes Bureau. Mark Egerton, a relative newcomer to the bureau, is assigned the task of locating Lauren. The trail Mark follows leads not only to terrorists but to organized-crime figures. Among them is someone who doesn't want Mark to uncover unpleasant facts about Rylance's part in the purchase of a new defense weapon, known as ""Goliath,'' from the Americans. When drugs are planted in Mark's apartment, he is removed from his job. At that point, retired bureau member Ludovic Fender enters the case. Geddes (A State of Corruption) has a talent for plotting and for creating believable characters. This story of treachery in high places is fast-paced and suspenseful. (February)