Johansen, author of many bestsellers (Dead Aim; No One to Trust; Body of Lies; etc.) knows exactly what her devoted readers want and gives it to them once again in this impassioned romantic suspense novel. Her lusty characters, both good and evil, preen and snarl as they fight, love and kill with almost superhuman stamina and appetite. Delicate but sensual Melis Menid lives in harmony with her two dolphin pals, Pete and Susie, on a remote, Eden-like tropical island. Her foster father, Philip Lontana, harbors many secrets, chief of which is the location of the fabled island of Marinth, an incredibly wealthy, hidden city that was lost beneath the sea aeons ago. Rich, hunky, ex-SEAL Jed Kelby crisscrosses the world's oceans on his lavish yacht searching for treasure-laden shipwrecks. He also seeks the fabled Marinth. Malevolent arms dealer Archer is determined to acquire Phil's research into an underwater sonic gun of immense destructive capabilities. While attempting to coerce Melis into telling him the location of Phil's research, he kills her best friend, threatens the innocent dolphins and tortures Melis with details from her horrific past. Jed, now in love with Melis and determined to stop Archer, calls in his partner, half-Apache Nicholas Lyon—"a giant of a man"—for help. Johansen writes with all her category romance roots showing ("Now she looked like a weary little girl, all tousled and warm, and so goddamn beautiful it made his throat tighten to look at her"), but the exotic locals, lusty sex and capering dolphins provide easy-reading entertainment. (Sept. 9)
Forecast:Johansen's track record—there are nine million copies of her books in print—says it all. Look for another bestseller.
