Black Cipher

Crackling with techno-savvy, this slick spy thriller by the author of Storming Intrepid is distinguished by far-reaching geopolitical speculation, well-drawn heroes and villains and vivid descriptions of exotic locales. Working within the shadowy chambers of Britain's supersecret Government Communication Headquarters, chief cryptanalyst Faisal Shaikh stumbles onto a ``Black Cipher,'' a series of messages encrypted in a seemingly unbreakable code. Obsessed by the challenge, Faisal finally cracks the cryptogram only to find that he has stumbled onto a plot between the IRA and a highly placed terrorist faction within Her Majesty's government. For his trouble, Faisal is discredited and thrown out of the service with a veiled threat that he will be killed unless he keeps silent. Putting his mathematical genius to work at the gaming tables, he parlays his winnings into a minor fortune on the stock market. When, by chance, Faisal reencounters the enigmatic Black Cipher, he embarks on a mission to overturn the conspiracy and clear his name. Despite the improbability of its hero's magic-carpet mobility-Tokyo, Australia, Ascension Island, Ft. Meade, Ireland and Russia are among his venues-and of his plot-saving good luck, this highly entertaining thriller will keep readers turning its pages long past midnight. Major ad/promo. (Jan.)