Skyjack: A Kidnap-and-Ransom Novel

Howe’s rip-roaring sequel to 2017’s The Freedom Broker finds kidnap and rescue expert Thea Paris escorting two orphaned brothers, 12-year-old Jabari and nine-year-old Ayan, from sub-Saharan Africa, where they witnessed their parents’ beheading by Boko Haram and were forced into becoming child soldiers before being rescued, to London, home of their new adoptive parents. En route, the chartered plane carrying Thea, the boys, and 12 other passengers is hijacked and lands in the Libyan Desert. Thea is tricked into leaving the plane, which takes off without her. Thea and her tactical team go into hyperdrive to negotiate the passengers’ return. Her old enemy, Don Prospero Salvatore, is behind the hijacking, demanding that she detain a truck filled with Syrian refugees bound for Budapest. Good thing Thea has serious skills in fighting, shooting, and flying a plane. The enthralling plot moves across Europe with lightning speed, linking a WWII legend with an underground militant group’s plan to release a deadly toxic substance. In-depth character studies match the high tension. With this nail-biter, Howe seals her place as a first-class purveyor of adventure stories showcasing strong women characters. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Assoc. (Apr.)