Under her real name, Freda Davies, Pirnie has written some acclaimed modern-day whodunits, but fans of her Keith Tyrell series may be disappointed by this sequel to 2006's Let Heaven Fall
starring London science reporter Sue Bennett. After a powerful bomb wrecks the headquarters of Sue's newspaper, claiming several lives, police ascertain that Sue was the intended victim of the explosive, which was planted in her car outside but detonated by her colleague instead. A letter claiming responsibility comes from a shadowy extremist animal rights group, and Sue receives round-the-clock protection, as the authorities comb through her published stories for clues to which enemy might have been behind the attack. Pirnie moves the story along with clean, brisk prose as more bombings, casualties and attempts on Sue's life follow. Sue demonstrates grit in the face of adversity, but her personality isn't distinctive enough to carry the somewhat predictable action. (Jan.)
