The Witness

In this powerful romantic suspense (Roberts's 200th novel, after Captivated), readers are introduced to a fascinating young woman trying to atone for a tragic act witnessed long ago. Though Elizabeth Fitch was a model daughter—a prodigy en route to med-school at 16-years-old—her dictatorial mother's "directives" cause Liz to rebel. After meeting some young members of the Russian mafia during the course of a wild night out, Liz witnesses a horrible murder, and is consequently placed in the Witness Protection Program. Twelve years later, when Liz settles on the outskirts of a sleepy Arkansas town as Abigail Lowery, chief of police Brooks Gleason is determined to find out from whence this reclusive newcomer came, and why. Though Abigail keeps to herself, she has been busily putting her hacking skills to use in plotting the downfall of the Volkov organized crime syndicate, whose ruthlessness changed her life. Unrelentingly kind, Brooks slowly breaks down the wall that Abigail has built around herself, and finds his work quickly ratcheted up from cuffing DUIs to helping Abigail find justice. Featuring one of Roberts's cleverest heroines yet, this intricately dramatic book only confirms that Roberts is a master of the genre. (Apr.)