Rules of Deception

Starred review from May 5, 2008
The un-put-downable sixth spy novel from bestseller Reich (The Patriots’ Club
, which won an International Thrillers Award in 2006) shows he’s the equal of such masters of suspense as Ken Follett and Frederick Forsyth. The twisting story line revolves around Jonathan Ransom, a 37-year-old surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, whose wife is killed while mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps. As Ransom struggles to come to grips with this tragedy, he receives two mysterious baggage claim tickets addressed in her name. Ransom tracks the luggage to a remote train station, where two Swiss police officers attack him shortly after he picks up the baggage. Once safely away, he examines the contents only to realize that his wife was an undercover agent involved in “the blackest of black ops”—a plot that includes unmanned airborne vehicles, secret uranium enrichment facilities in Iran and the destruction of Israel. This first-class adrenaline fest will leave readers guessing until the last page. Author tour.

Starred review from June 15, 2008
Reich's everyman hero, Jonathan Ransom, is plunged into a world of intrigue when his wife dies in an accident. Growing questions about her true identity dig him deeper into trouble. Ransom is unaware that he is interrupting the endgame of an enormous and long-running conspiracy that heand the Swiss cop tracking himcould derail. Reich ("Patriot's Club") throws readers off the scent but never loses control of the plot. He skillfully handles the pacing, and this results in a suspenseful story balanced by cinematic action scenes. Highly recommendedfans of early Ludlum will particularly enjoy it. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 3/1/08.]

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2008
Reichs new novel starts with a literal cliff-hanger and doesnt let up until the shocking ending. Doctor Jonathan Ransom and his wife, Emma, are mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps when tragedy strikes, and Emma falls into a crevasse. Devastated, Ransom discovers an envelope back at their hotel containing two baggage claim tickets at a nearby train station. When he goes to retrieve the luggage, he is attacked. Barely escaping with his life, Ransom becomes determined to learn why the items in the suitcases are so important and uncover the truth behind his ever-increasing doubts about the woman he married. In the process, he becomes the target of both a ruthless assassin and a determined cop, who believes Ransom uses his medical practice as a cover to murder innocent civilians. Intense and surprising, with strong characters galloping about in exotic locales, this pulse-pounding thriller will find a home in plenty of beach bags come summer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

September 29, 2008
In true Hitchcockian tradition, Reich plunges his unsuspecting protagonist, Dr. Jonathan Ransom, into a dangerous world of international intrigue and death. After his wife dies in a skiing accident in the Swiss Alps, Ransom learns she had been leading a double life as a spy. What starts out as a search for answers about his late wife's past quickly escalates into a frantic life and death chase across northern Europe. Paul Michael proves quite adept at narrating this complicated story. Using just the right emphasis on key words, he keeps the listener involved. With solid conviction in his voice, Michael grounds Reich's over-the-top prose. Although his no-frills interpretation of Ransom is a little bland, Michael essays a rogues' gallery of distinctly voiced and accented supporting characters. Reich keeps the action coming, and Michael stays with him chase for chase. A Doubleday hardcover (Reviews, May 5).