Breaking Free

Set in 1986, Lubitz’s competent series kickoff introduces lawyer Ryan Butler, a former baseball prospect. On track to be named partner at a prestigious Philadelphia firm, Ryan is increasingly estranged from his wife and alienated by his work. One day, in an effort to save time on his drive back home, he leaves the highway and ends up in Middleton, Md., in front of the insurance business of an old teammate, Steven Shannon. When he calls Steven’s home, he’s stunned to learn that his former teammate is in a coma, and that right before he lapsed into unconsciousness he emptied his personal and business bank accounts. The tragedy puts Ryan in contact with Steven’s stunner of a second wife, Alana, and his attraction to her motivates him to seek the truth about what happened to her husband. His efforts soon attract the attention of the CIA. Lubitz does a good job of keeping things moving, though not always plausibly, especially toward the end. [em](BookLife) [/em]