In Eidson's chilling second adventure to feature ex-DEA undercover agent Jack Merchant and boat repo contractor Sarah Ballard (after 2003's The Repo
), the duo investigate a suspicious sailing accident off the Rhode Island coast. Prospective client Matt Coulter walks into Sarah's marine repossession company with a wild tale of a shipwreck, subsequent rescue and kidnapping that includes many amnesiac gaps due to his injuries. His version differs from newspaper and police accounts, which say that a grief-crazed Coulter simply couldn't accept the loss of his wife and two children who were sailing with him. Jack, who freelances for Sarah, skeptically agrees to help. Preliminary research into Coulter's hazy descriptions of the phantom rescue vessel suggests his nightmare may indeed be real. The viewpoint of a ruthless pirate, whose bungling, slapdash plans drive him desperately into Sarah and Jack's path, ratchets up the suspense, while the likable sleuths contrast sharply with a pair of expertly sketched and truly loathsome sociopaths. Jack and love-scarred Sarah's cautious relationship gels in the midst of palpable tension as they fight to save her boat and several lives. Complex and salty supporting characters add gritty authenticity to this taut mystery. Agent, Richard Parks. (Jan. 15)
FYI:
A past president of the New England chapter of the MWA, Eidson is also the author of
One Bad Thing and other thrillers.
