SLEEPER

Set a year after September 11, this taut chiller unfolds on the Pentagon grounds, as workers return to the remodeling job that was hastily abandoned after the terrorist attacks. In a remote section of the building, a construction worker finds a mysterious canister behind a wall. When he accidentally opens it, he unleashes a carnivorous beast that has been lying in hibernation for decades. The task of putting an end to the creature's killing spree falls upon Ed Jeffers, the "mayor" of the Pentagon; Terrill "Terror" Hodge, a Navy SEAL who chafes at being told what to do; and Dr. Andrea Deluca, the attractive-yet-serious herpetologist who catches their attention. As the three work with Terrill's fellow SEALs to destroy the creature and rescue a trapped soldier, Andrea unravels the Cold War origins of the beast. The novel unfolds slowly, particularly in the flashback sequences, which tell of the creature's origin. But the protagonists are well developed, and the race-against-time structure makes this a particularly quick read. With a tone that is equal parts horror, sci-fi and Tom Clancy–esque military thriller, Harriman's debut novel nicely fills the void left by The X-Files. (Feb. 4)

FYI:Harriman is a pseudonym for novelist Steven Spruill.