Amazon.com (ISBN 0752867466, Hardcover)

A deft, sharply drawn, and thoroughly enjoyable stand-alone from a master writer, this fast-paced suspense novel features an appealing heroine, a well realized plot, and enough wit to dial down the tension, let the reader take a deep breath, and enjoy Ed McBains latest.

Alice is a recent widow, still struggling to get over the drowning death of her husband and raise their two young children. A novice realtor, she hasn't made any sales yet, and is counting the days until her husband's insurance policy pays off. Then her kids are abducted and held for ransom--not so coincidentally, for the exact amount of the insurance policy.

Warned not to contact the police, Alice tries to head off the well-meaning assistance of her housekeeper, but so unsuccessfully that before she can stop her, the kidnapping sets off a turf war between the local authorities and the FBI. Meanwhile, two seemingly unrelated occurrences--a near-miss by a passing motorist who almost runs her down and the unexpected appearance of her brother-in-law, an ex-con--lead the reader just far enough astray to keep the suspense building. Eventually Alice takes matters into her own hands, which is clearly the only way to get her children safely home. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read from the author of the two successful series (the 87th Precinct and Matthew Hope novels) written as Ed McBain and several stand-alones penned by his alter ego, Evan Hunter. --Jane Adams