Secret Kills

In Beechcroft's fifth and finest thriller, journalist Dan Forrest goes after another story he hopes will elevate the tone of his scandal sheet, NewsLeak. Dan is alerted to a possible link between the bombing of New York's Penn Station and the ""suicide'' of actress Marguerite Falconer. According to NewsLeak's female reporter, fat Corkie Brion, Falconer was the mistress of under-secretary for Defense Edwin Stanfield, whose daughter was injured in the bombing. Miffed at the editor for assigning Corkie as his partner, Dan nevertheless accepts the decision and the two travel to Washington, D.C., where they ask embarrassing questions. Suspicions lead the reporters on the trail of a killer whose victims multiply as conspirators implement a secret plot, ``Swift Sword,'' an assassination attempt against a leader of a West African Republic. The investigators are also marked for disposal and, during a frightening encounter, their death seems certain. It's a chilling story, warmed by humor and made poignant by Dan's realization that Corkie is a reliable co-worker and a solid comfort in bed. (April)