Take a deep breath, because Gun Kiss's special brand of high-octane action is on its way to market, and it's a hell of a ride especially recommended for thriller readers who like their action not only nonstop, but tempered with a bit of romance and a lot of world-hopping political confrontations.

The tension begins in the first paragraph as a Lincoln re-enactment event in Washington, D.C. results in a hostage and a bomber intent on thievery. Rick achieves his goals with almost casual precision: it's clear he's not only planned his escapade down to the second, but that he's a pro.

As a missing Deringer from The Ford Theatre Museum involves a host of special interests, the story heats up to become a globe-trotting series of escapades and encounters by disparate individuals who each harbor their own special interests.

A network involved in piracy and smuggling, a monied Chinese drug trafficker who works out a deal that lands him in Tijuana, Goldie's strange party for the paparazzi, and Blake's need for a holiday away from intrigue and complications all join with a range of subplots designed to keep Gun Kiss unpredictable, unexpected, and sometimes unsettling as events keep on creating new connections and surprises.

As a stolen artifact evolves into crimes surrounding a maniacal drug lord, challenges to U.S. and Mexican government relations, and deadly escapades that involve faked deaths and real kidnappings, readers experience a supercharged plot that grabs interest tightly and does not let go.

The mark of a superior thriller lies in its ability to seamlessly transcend borders, boundaries, and special interests to provide a series of interwoven subplots that all come together in a satisfying crescendo of intrigue designed to keep readers on edge right up to the end.

Take a deep breath before reading Gun Kiss. Its special brand of activity and complex personal and criminal interactions makes it hard to put down, and highly recommended for thriller and crime readers alike.

Diane Donavan, Senior Reviewer

MBR