Quicksand

February 11, 2008
The action-packed 12th installment in bestseller Johansen’s saga featuring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan (after Stalemate
) is also a sequel of sorts to Pandora’s Daughter
, which chronicled the life of Megan Blair, an Atlanta physician with burgeoning psychic abilities. Intertwining the two disparate story lines intensifies both, as Johansen pits her two courageous female protagonists against a vicious serial killer who claims to have murdered Eve’s seven-year-old daughter, Bonnie, years earlier. When Eve’s love interest, Atlanta police lieutenant Joe Quinn, tracks down elusive child predator Henry Kistle to a small town in Illinois, Quinn alerts the local authorities and sets off a series of bloody events that lead Eve and Megan Blair to a remote area in the Okefenokee swamp where they’ll either discover the whereabouts of Bonnie’s body—or come face-to-face with a psychopath bent on killing and burying them all in unmarked graves. The adrenaline-fueled narrative will keep Johansen fans eagerly turning the pages. 600,000 first printing.

December 15, 2007
Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan ("Stalemate") is drawn into killer Henry Kistle's sick game as she desperately tries to find her missing daughter, Bonnie. He taunts Eve with details of her daughter's kidnapping and promises to disclose the location of Bonnie's body. Lured by Kistle to the swamps of Florida, Eve enlists the help of her paramour, Atlanta cop Joe Quinn, her Colombian admirer Montalvo, and spiritual "listener" Megan Blair, first introduced in "Pandora's Daughter". Johansen's dialog is insipid, and her characters often fall flat; however, the action scenes are well written. Standing out among the one-dimensional personalities is Megan; the possibilities for future works featuring her are exciting. This predictable suspense novel will interest those who have read Johansen's previous thrillers featuring the same cast, but others may want to skip it. There is a 600,000 first printing, so expect demand.Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2007
Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is consumed with the prolonged search for the body of her daughter, Bonnie.The man in her life, Atlanta detective and former navy SEAL Joe Quinn, questions whether or not he can continue his relationship with Eve as the specter of Bonnie continues to haunt them. At one of their most trying times, Joe pursues a lead that may either solve the mysteryordestroy their relationship. Add thepressure of child killer Henry Kistle focusing onEve anddrug lord Montalvo, from Stalemate (2007), whose desire to help is fueled by his desire for Eve, and things get complicated. Kistle taunts Eve with phone calls and written statements as he uses his military training to lead Joe, Montalvo, and the FBI on a chase from remote Bloomberg, Illinois, to alligator-infested swamps. Eve needs more help, so Johansen reachesback to Pandoras Daughter(2007) and brings in psychicMegan Blair. Keeping the tension high and the pace relentless, prolific and compelling Johansenadds depth to her popular characters as she continues this suspenseful series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)