The Guardian

A seemingly random kidnapping that spirals out of control provides the plot twists in Eidson's tightly written, emotionally charged third novel (after Dangerous Waters, 1991). The narrative sprints into action as nine-year-old Janine Stearns is snatched from her parents during a convenience-store robbery near Boston. When the kidnapper demands a half-million dollars for her return, Greg and Beth Stearns are forced to sell off the family land in the suburbs--but a botched exchange leaves one principal dead and Janine still in the hands of her abductors. So it's up to Greg's brother, Ross, an ex-con who did time following a drug bust, to take over the recovery effort. Ross turns to some old prison contacts to track down the kidnappers and lure them into a trap. The plot-counterplot between Ross and the kidnappers leads to the discovery of an elaborate conspiracy behind the abduction, as well as to a series of electrifying chase scenes through Boston and the surrounding suburbs in which Eidson, a Boston ad exec, puts his knowledge of local color to fine use. The author adds psychological muscle to his sinewy storytelling by exploring, through multiple characters' perspectives, the emotional pain of a family that has been ripped apart. Admirers of tough crime tales told in pared-down prose will find Eidson's latest a sure bet. (Nov.)