Field of Fire by James O. Born

From the Publisher

Since returning from Bosnia, ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) agent Alex Duarte has been re-acclimating to life in South Florida. But when a gunrunner's car explodes, Duarte's life kicks into overdrive in a high-profile hunt for a suspected serial bomber.

Publishers Weekly

Born's fourth thriller introduces a new hero, but an implausible premise, stock characters and some clich d prose may disappoint fans of his earlier novels (Escape Clause, etc.), which featured Florida lawman Bill Tasker. ATF agent Alex Duarte, who has seen military duty in Bosnia, is on assignment in South Florida. After a wanted fugitive, Alberto Salez, whom Duarte has arrested, gives him the slip, Duarte becomes involved in a high-level investigation into a series of bombings that Deputy Attorney General Roberto Morales, an Alberto Gonzalez-like figure, suspects are the work of radical labor unions. Meanwhile, a shadowy hit man is pursuing Salez in an effort to silence him. The author, himself a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, puts little of his own real-life expertise into the plot. Despite advance praise from Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen and W.E.B. Griffin, this effort falls short of the standard set by top-rank suspense writers. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A straight-arrow lawman copes with murder, conspiracy and dating in another of Born's dandy thrillers (Shock Wave, 2005, etc.). Around ATF headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla., Special Agent Alex Duarte is known as Rocket. Point him toward bad guys, press his start button and he zooms into sleuthing mode. Consider his current case, for instance. At the outset, it seems orthodox enough, if blood-drenched-a bomb, a car, the bottom-feeders inside it blown sky-high. In his signature fashion, then, Rocket sets to work, checking out the who's and why's-until the top-notch lawyer from the Department of Justice arrives, altering perspective radically. To begin with, there's the new information. Far from isolated, it turns out that the Florida bombing is the third in a series, preceded by explosions in the states of Washington and Virginia. In addition, highly placed people in the Department of Justice have an interesting conspiracy theory to explain the events: warring labor organizations seeking victory through intimidation and attrition. All of which Rocket, trained investigator that he is, takes more or less in stride-it's the lawyer, herself, who defuses Rocket. Caren Larson is blonde, beautiful and instantly drawn to the good-looking special agent, who happens to be so shy that the only female he's ever been truly comfortable with is his mother. Before long, Caren finds ways to change that. She teaches Rocket to be venturesome. She teaches him a lot about the intricacies of relationships. And, in the process, Rocket learns that dark and secret things can come brightly packaged. If he ever manages to upgrade his prose-which is serviceable but bland-working-cop Born will rocket to the verytop of thrillerdom.

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