Boiling Point

Fans of the late Michael Crichton will enjoy Dionne's exciting second ecothriller (after Freezing Point). Philippe Dumas, a Nobel Prize–winning French scientist deeply concerned about the future of life on Earth, agrees to attend an environmental summit in Santiago, Chile. Summit organizer Rebecca Sweet, leader of the advocacy group Preserve Our Planet, hopes that Dumas's presence will get her conference the publicity she needs. Celebrity volcanologist Max Heat, who's been tipped off by Dumas that Chaitén, a Patagonian volcano dormant for 9,000 years, may soon erupt, hopes footage of the volcano will form the basis for a successful TV special. After Chaitén blows, researcher Sheila Kennedy seeks evidence to link the catastrophic event with some illegal sulfur dumping. Crisp writing keeps the pace fast, and the tight interweaving of story lines bodes well for this author's future efforts. (Jan.)