Departure

Reid’s explosive third Seth Walker novel (after 2019’s False Horizon) finds the federal air marshal leading the chase to locate 26-year-old computer engineer Anah El-Amin, who has broken away from his company’s traveling group in San Francisco International Airport and may be aiming to assassinate the U.S. vice president, whose plane is due to land soon. Walker and a hastily assembled FBI team have only an hour to apprehend El-Amin, who escapes onto a private jet to Dallas. Along with FBI agent and romantic partner Melissa Cooke, Walker scrambles into an agency Gulfstream, and the chase resumes. Reid maintains a frenzied pace throughout, but excessive detail—particularly in the San Francisco airport, where much of the story takes place—slows down the flow. Background about Walker’s previous career in high tech and what drove him away from the industry will please fans of the appealing Walker, who’s never short on opinion or emotion, though others may find it a clunky fit. Previous outings have shown him to better advantage. Agent: Cynthia Manson, Cynthia Manson Literary. (Aug.)