FIVE DAYS IN SUMMER

In this tightly plotted debut thriller, seasoned FBI profiler John Geary teams up with young detective Amy Cardoza to track down a particularly clever killer. As the title suggests, the story takes place over five days, starting when Emily Parker, devoted wife and mother of three, disappears without a trace from a supermarket parking lot in Cape Cod. Precious hours are wasted as Emily's husband Will tries to convince the local police to waive the 24-hour waiting period for missing persons and start looking for his wife. But when John, now retired and writing a book on serial killers who were never caught, identifies a connection between Emily's kidnapper and a killer who resurfaces every seven years, the search shifts into high gear. Pepper wisely restrains from giving the killer his own voice and instead focuses on the frustration and anguish that Emily's family must cope with, as well as the entertaining dynamic between the veteran behavioralist John and his smart, gutsy partner, Amy. Although the final showdown smacks of an action-packed B-movie (with Will and his son David, both skilled in aikido, facing off against the killer), Pepper's finely drawn characterizations and taut, clean storytelling make this an enjoyable read. Agent, Matthew Bialer . (July)