At the start of Meyers's well-plotted eighth mystery to feature Wall Street headhunters Leslie Wetzon and Xenia Smith (after 1997's The Groaning Board
), Wetzon has lost her memory and is desperately trying to escape the aftermath of the explosion of an executive jet at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport belonging to a hedge fund manager. Meyers handles the clichéd amnesia situation expertly, and Wetzon learns as much about herself from her reactions to people and situations as she does from her gradual and episodic recovery. Uncertain of her own identity and unsure of whom she can trust, Wetzon knows that two men are trying to kill her and that the FBI, a wealthy financier and a high-powered attorney she was romantically involved with are all connected somehow. The odd-couple pairing of the extravagant, exuberant Smith and the bold, hardheaded Wetzon still plays well. Wetzon's memory loss and brief disappearance underscore the genuine affection between the two friends. Despite the eight years since their last outing, Smith and Wetzon remain a formidable team. (Feb. 21)
