The Peyti Crisis: The Anniversary Day Saga

Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but this deliberate look at the aftermath of terrorism finds passions running hot. The Earth Alliance bases on the Moon are recovering from a series of attacks that employed clones of notorious human and alien criminals. The Alliance brings together an assortment of characters to uncover the masterminds and their motives. Complicating the search are the various emotional crises, personal as well as family, that develop as a result of the attacks. Retrieval Artist Miles Flint struggles to help his daughter, Talia, deal with the trauma of watching a classmate die; underworld boss Luc Deshin worries that his participation in the investigation may not be enough to prevent another attack from threatening his wife and son. Rusch concentrates on the difficulties of enforcing law in a situation where police deliver harsh treatment to suspects and defense lawyers alike. Readers may find the frequent discussions of points of law to be slow-going, but the continued discovery of clues moves the plot along. (Mar.)