Sinister Forces

Anderson (The President's Mistress, former speech-writer in the Carter administration, chronicles a fanatical heiress's political machinations in this thriller filled with treachery, murder and heroics. Widower Matt Boyle, a gifted imagemaker for President Calvin Webster, has resigned his job to care for his rambunctious son, Zeb. Nevertheless, Boyle closely watches the implementation of Webster's bilateral nuclear-arms reduction accord with the Soviet Union. One of those intent upon halting the pact is affluent, unprincipled right-winger Serena Masters, an ex-secretary of defense reminiscent of Dynasty's Alexis. Serena plots to eliminate Webster by manipulating craven Vice-President Ben Remington and hiring raffish professional killer Charlie Trueblood, but her scheme is imperiled by the President's inquisitive daughter, Jenna. When Jenna starts investigating Remington, Charlie kidnaps her, and Jenna's friend Boyle launches a search that culminates in a race against time. The novel suffers from cartoon-like characters, improbabilities and melodramatic flourishes, but the derring-do and authoritative descriptions of backstage political maneuvering may keep some readers involved.( June 20)