Modesitt's action-packed space opera–cum–hard-boiled detective story (after 2006's Soarer's Choice
) stars Blaine Donne, retired special operative who solves problems for the wealthy by day and fights crime by night on the planet Devanta. While tracking down missing heiresses, checking on a pal's patent infringement case and doing a background check on a client's granddaughter's unsuitable fiancé, he discovers connections among several commissions. Blaine's pal ends up dead, and Blaine realizes that he's also been hired to look into the project that's illegally using his friend's technology for momentous purposes. Even as several attempts on his life leave him more curious than ever, the political situation on the planet Devanta destabilizes, and he makes full use of his special ops skills in a final caper to save the planet. Modesitt cleverly weaves together disparate threads of information to form a complete tapestry. (Feb.)
