The Pandora Key

Heitman's fourth series title is another fast-paced thriller that casts a wide net, pulling together a cold hijacking case, east European mobsters, private military firms, dot-com business fraud and divorcée angst into a world-spanning plot—and it's up to airline manager–cum–PI Alex Shanahan to hold it all together. Alex's latest case, a simple salvage job, comes from Rachel Ruffielo, ex-wife of her partner, Harvey Baltimore, who walked out on him after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Suspicious of Rachel's motives and her hold over Harvey, Alex reluctantly agrees. Her misgivings are confirmed when she returns from the job to find not only that Harvey's disappeared but he's also being pursued by FBI agents investigating a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scandal. As Alex picks up Harvey's trail, she delves into his and Rachel's history, leading to a bloody airline hijacking four years earlier and a missing laptop computer worth over a billion dollars. Heitman has created a complex, human heroine in Alex—smart, heroic and loyal, but no superwoman—and strong supporting characters to match. Although the story line is, at times, over the top, Alex's voice keeps the proceedings grounded as Heitman ratchets up the suspense, bringing the whole shebang to a taut, satisfying conclusion. (Mar.)