Cape Rage

Corbett shines with the gritty second installment in his Danny Barrett series (after The Sweet Goodbye), which chronicles the freelance fixer’s attempt to infiltrate a legendary Pacific Northwest crime family. The Danbys have inhabited the Puget Sound’s Cape Rage island for generations, committing violent crimes up and down the West Coast since Prohibition. Their recent activities, including multiple homicides and dozens of armed robberies, have spurred the FBI to assemble a task force dedicated to bringing them down. After the Danbys break into a Wells Fargo branch in San Francisco, killing two security guards in the process, the Bureau’s Seattle office enlists Barrett to gain the trust of key family members and gather evidence against them. Seems straightforward enough, but Barrett’s not the only one targeting the Danbys. After the Wells Fargo heist, one of the robbers—Henry Carter, husband of Tess Danby—was shot and left for dead by his co-conspirators. He survived, however, and his plan for revenge could put him on a bloody collision course with Barrett. Corbett enhances his nail-biting plot with vivid depictions of the moody rural Washington State setting and convincing characterizations of cops and criminals alike. John Galligan fans will be delighted. Agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman. (Mar.)