15 Seconds

May 7, 2012
At the start of this chilling stand-alone from Thriller Award–finalist Gross (Eyes Wide Open), an overzealous police officer named Martinez stops cosmetic surgeon Henry Steadman, who’s on his way to a Doctors Without Borders conference, for a minor traffic violation outside Jacksonville, Fla. Soon after placing Henry under arrest, Martinez decides to let him off with a warning, but before Henry can leave the scene, somebody in “an old-model blue sedan” drives by and shoots Martinez in the head. Henry, fearing he’ll be accused of the murder, panics and drives away. The object of an intensive manhunt, Henry becomes increasingly mired in more violence. A chance call puts him in touch with a community outreach officer, who finds Henry’s story credible and senses a conspiracy when other cops refuse to consider evidence of his innocence. Some readers may find Henry’s initial behavior unconvincing, but once he goes on the run, the plot turns thrillingly realistic with a surprising resolution. Agent: Simon Lipskar, Writers House.

February 15, 2012

So what can happen in 15 seconds? Leading surgeon Henry Steadman can get pulled over by a cop for a minor traffic violation, the cop can get shot by someone speeding by in a blue sedan, and Henry can get blamed, as he's suddenly targeted by a huge manhunt. With a one-day laydown on July 10 and a 200,000-copy first printing; James Patterson coauthor Grossman obviously does pretty well on his own.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2012
A taut thriller from Gross (Eyes Wide Open, 2011, etc.) about misplaced vengeance. A stoned young woman accidentally kills a mother and child with her car and goes to prison. Elsewhere, plastic surgeon Henry Steadman is stopped for a traffic violation on his way to a medical conference. The traffic cop hassles him far out of proportion to the offense, and while they argue, a stranger drives up and shoots the cop. Soon, a friend of Steadman is also dead, and Steadman is the only suspect in both killings. Police may shoot him on sight if he tries to turn himself in, so he decides to track down the shooter's car instead. Meanwhile, he becomes increasingly aware that someone has set him up. He is a nonviolent man who doesn't even own a gun, and he has no known enemies. While he desperately tries to find an ally to help him prove his innocence, his unknown enemy ups the ante. Steadman is a flawed but resourceful hero who has more than his own life at stake, while his antagonist operates on a perverted logic that makes him both fearsome and believable. This story begins in high gear and never downshifts as it often swerves to show the world through the villain's eyes. To him, merely killing Steadman won't be enough. The doctor must suffer as much as possible first. It all works up to a frightening finale that Gross handles with masterful skill. Fans of the genre will love this one. It's a fast, fun read with crisp dialogue and a tight plot. If you're a bedtime reader, you might as well plan on staying up late, because you'll be itching to learn how it ends.

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May 1, 2012
Henry Steadman is one of the good guys. He's a divorced plastic surgeon who spends his vacations in Nicaragua volunteering for Doctors without Borders. Today he's in Jacksonville, Florida, for a medical convention: golf with a college buddy, deliver the keynote speech, then a date with an attractive pharmaceutical sales rep. But Henry can't find the hotel and in his confusion blows a light and is pulled over. Then the day really goes to hell. A sedan pulls up beside the officer; the driver shoots, kills the officer, and speeds away. Henry panics and takes off in pursuit, despite the instruction of the 911 dispatcher to remain at the scene. Big mistake on Henry's part because he's soon the suspect, even more so when his would-be golfing partner is also murdered. Henry has gone from respected doctor to desperate fugitive in less than an hour. He realizes he was set up, but by whom and why? Gross, who has collaborated with James Patterson on five best-sellers, turns out a page-turning, roller-coaster of a novel with a likable if sometimes foolish protagonist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)