cover image Predator: A Crossbow Novel

Predator: A Crossbow Novel

Wilber Smith and Tom Cain. Morrow, $28.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-227647-6

In Smith’s thrilling third Crossbow novel, coauthored with Cain (and after 2013’s Vicious Circle), Hector Cross’s archenemy, Johnny Congo, who’s been convicted of multiple murders, escapes from a Texas prison just hours before he’s to be executed. Vowing to “concentrate every ounce of his strength and every cent of his enormous wealth on the complete and utter destruction of Hector Cross,” Johnny begins building alliances to accomplish this task, concentrating on destroying Hector’s company, Bannock Oil, physically and financially. Johnny secretly backs the charismatic rebel leader Mateus Da Cunha, who’s attempting to overthrow Angolan rule over the tiny province of Cabinda, in whose territorial waters Bannock’s drilling operation are located. Amid all the mayhem, Hector has time to acquire a beautiful new girlfriend, Zhenia Voronova. Smith’s many fans will be delighted with this new serving of the author’s usual heady mix of sex, violence, purple prose, and soap opera. [em]Agent: Kevin Conroy Scott, Tibor Jones & Associates. (Mar.) [/em]