Fault Line

Eisler fans may miss the sleek, moody tone that distinguished his John Rain thrillers (Requiem for an Assassin , etc.) in this highly readable first in a new series introducing another assassin hero. Ben Treven, who's been assigned to Turkey in the war on terror by his secretive U.S. military unit, returns home to Silicon Valley when his younger brother, Alex, a patent lawyer in Palo Alto, gets caught in the deadly tug-of-war between the inventor of a new software encryption device and the forces of national security. The plot moves sluggishly as the author establishes character, backstory and the bitter relationships in the Treven family, but the larger problem is the novel's predictability. The brothers tangle, reconcile, romance the same woman, then the threat is neutralized—all on schedule. As a leading man, Ben Treven lacks John Rain's personal panache and professional aloofness. Still, Ben's warmer side gives him potential. 10-city author tour. (Mar.)