Second Chance Angel

With this fun, noir-tinged thriller, the first in the Last Stop Station series, Barber (1636: Mission to the Mughals) and Ezell (The Worlds Asunder) weave together intrigue, action, and romance, all with a hard-boiled sensibility. Years after humanity lost control of Earth in an intergalactic war, ex-soldier Ralston Muck makes a living as a nightclub bouncer on the space station Last Stop, where he depends on illicit treatments to keep his military modifications in working order. When Siren, a popular entertainer at the club, is kidnapped, her AI enhancement, Angel, is ripped from her body and takes refuge with Muck. Now the unlikely duo must discover what happened to Siren, delving into alien societies and the criminal underworld. As Muck and Angel narrowly escape certain doom time and again while edging closer to the heart of a deadly conspiracy, they develop a surprisingly tight bond. Meanwhile, the AIs that control Last Stop are experiencing new emotions and sensations, leading to unprecedented changes in behavior. The authors expertly contrast claustrophobic interiors and the vastness of space, creating a world that feels both alien and lived-in. Readers will be hooked. [em]Agent: Justin Bell, Spectrum Literary. (Sept.) [/em]