The Asset

This exhilarating standalone from Kuhn (Hostile Takeover and one other John Largo novel) boasts a clever terrorist plot and an appealing everyman protagonist. Kennedy, driven by grief over his sister’s death on one of the planes hijacked on 9/11, has become an aviation security specialist, the best in the business. Consumed by work, he’s jolted out of his doldrums by a chance reunion with his sister’s childhood best friend, an indie musician now known as Love, and an offer to join Red Carpet, a CIA Clandestine Service operation investigating a suspected national attack from a mysterious global terrorist, Lentz. Kennedy and his team unwittingly put Lentz’s plan in motion and must race to deactivate 25 suitcase nukes installed in airports nationwide, even as they cope with betrayal from within. Kuhn’s gimmick of one-named characters quickly passes from affectation to annoyance, but the typical thriller tropes are rejuvenated by Kennedy’s refreshing differences from the usual action hero, including his newcomer reactions to violence and unusual perspective on terrorism. [em]Agent: Hannah Brown Gordon, Foundry Literary + Media. (July) [/em]