Hell or High Water

Bestseller Walker (Full Throttle) launches her Deep Six series with this winning romantic thriller. It opens with a terrifying glimpse of the treasure ship Santa Cristina sinking in a 1624 hurricane, then switches to the present day. Former Lt. Leo Anderson, along with five other SEALs turned civilians, are on a tiny island in the Florida Keys, preparing to locate the lost ship and salvage the treasure. CIA operative Olivia Mortier, who worked with Leo 18 months earlier, asks him to help retrieve three capsules of deadly chemicals that were lost overboard by incompetent terrorists. Complications abound in this well-plotted adventure of chilling hijackings, heartbreaking good-byes, and exciting underwater exploits. Walker blends the tender romance of a reassuring touch with lusty sex scenes, and her dialogue is spot-on. Readers will be panting for the next in the series. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (July)