Captive

Bestseller Johansen’s tense 29th Eve Duncan novel (after A Face to Die For) opens in Scotland, where forensic sculptor Eve’s adopted daughter, artist Jane MacGuire, is “a guest at the estate of John Angus MacDuff, the Earl of MacDuff’s Run.” When not sketching, Jane researches the elusive history of Fiona, an ancestor of MacDuff, who suspects Fiona may also be an ancestor of Jane, based on a portrait of Fiona that reminds him of Jane. Meanwhile, Jane’s significant other, MI6 agent Seth Caleb, is in Africa, where he’s being hunted by Hugh Bohdan, second in command to the late dictator Niko Rozkor, whom Seth killed on a mission for MI6. Though Seth is desperate to see Jane again, he’s staying away from her until Bohdan is no longer a threat. When Bohdan discovers Jane’s tie to Seth, he sets out to harm her. Just as Jane uncovers a 200-year-old secret regarding Fiona, she must go on the run from Bohdan. Jane and Seth wind up overcoming almost insurmountable odds in their efforts to elude the vengeful Bohdan and readers will eagerly turn the pages to see what happens next. Johansen gives romantic suspense fans exactly what they want. Agents: Andrea Cirillo and Rebecca Scherer, Jane Rotrosen Agency (Sept.)