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Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Even the stereotypes in Woods's first thriller are mostly fun. Crazedand getting crazierIRA terrorist Crandon is killing Brits in Washington in late 1987. A secret agency in the Defense Department, headed by Sam Taylor, is activated to nab the Irishman. Taylor's work is complicated by the efforts of a Libyan terrorist, Crandon's ex-mentor, now determined to destroy Crandon himself. The Libyan also may be involved with Taylor's beautiful assistant Caitlin. As the Feds and the Libyan close in on him, Crandon blows up a British ship in Baltimore harbor and then sets up his ultimate victim, the English Prime Minister, who is visiting the Capitol to announce an Anglo-American decision to co-build the STEALTH bomber. Though the characters often are only skin-deep and the writing occasionally clumsy, the plot spins skillfully from one deception to another as it hurtles to an explosive climax. Quite a few colorful people die in bedbut not peaceably. Ex-Secret Service agent Woods uses his antiterrorist background to excellent effect, adding authenticity to the background details. (October 10)