Dead Watch

From Publishers Weekly When Lincoln Bowe, a controversial Republican ex-senator, disappears at the start of this fast-paced thriller from bestseller Sandford (_Broken Prey_), the White House puts Jacob Winter, a veteran political operative with "an uncanny ability to navigate the world of bureaucracy," on the case. Bowe vanished shortly after making a fiery speech denouncing a rival, Arlo Goodman, the governor of Virginia and a demagogue who heads a volunteer militia group known as the Watchmen. When Bowe's burnt and headless corpse turns up, Winter is under even more pressure to discover those behind his murder. Aided by the dead man's attractive and possibly duplicitous widow, Madison, the fixer follows a trail of corpses and deception that suggests the killing may have been a staged piece of theater intended to derail Goodman's ascent to the presidency. Readers interested in a quick diverting romp without much gravitas will enjoy this, but serious Beltway fiction junkies might prefer their political thrillers to be a little more plausible. 500,000 announced first printing. (May) Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Former Virginia senator Lincoln Bowe is missing. His wife, Madison, believes his bitter political rival, Governor Arlo Goodman, is behind it. Critics scoff until she reveals a security tape showing two men loosely affiliated with Goodman threatening her in her home. Bowe's disappearance is a political time bomb. The presidential conventions are just over the horizon, and both parties fear the consequences if it detonates. The president, through his chief of staff, hires Jake Winter to investigate. Bowe's body is found soon after Winter initiates his investigation. Bowe was not a saint: his sexual dalliances, with both men and women, were numerous, and his obsession with destroying Goodman's political career may have driven him to contemplate political blackmail. Winter has plenty of suspects to choose from, and he knows the answer can be found somewhere in Washington's backrooms, where third-string campaign dirty tricksters change allegiances like other people change socks. Sandford, the best-selling author of the Prey series, displays an insider's knowledge of political infighting and couples it with his skill at creating memorable characters working through the maze of a diabolical plot. (Readers of a certain age will be reminded of Ross Thomas, grand master of the D.C. thriller from an earlier era.) The real Washington is awash with its own scandals and political time bombs, so expect readers to flock to this funhouse-mirror reflection of the real thing. Wes Lukowsky Copyright В© American Library Association. All rights reserved Sometimes, justice isn't enough. Through twenty-one novels featuring Lucas Davenport, Kidd, or the razor-edge world of the Night Crew, John Sandford has been writing brilliantly suspenseful, consistently surprising thrillers filled with rich characters and exceptional drama. But Dead Watch sets a whole new level. Late afternoon, Virginia, and a woman is on the run. Her husband, a former U.S. Senator named Lincoln Bowe, has been missing for days. Kidnapped? Murdered? She doesn't know, but she thinks she knows who's involved, and why. And that she may be next. Hours later, a phone rings in the pocket of Jacob Winter. An Army Intelligence veteran, Winter specializes in what he thinks of as forensic bureaucracy. Congress, the Pentagon, the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security — when something goes wrong, Winter kicks over rocks until he finds out what really happened. The White House is his main client, and the chief of staff is on the phone now. If Bowe isn't located soon, he is told, all hell will break loose. What Winter doesn't realize is — all hell will break loose anyway. And he will be right in the middle of it. Large forces are at work, men determined to do whatever it takes to achieve unprecedented ends. Before the next few days are out, Winter will discover he has to use every one of his resources not only to prevail... but just to survive. And so will the nation.... - Author's website

from The Author Of The #1 Bestselling Prey Novels Comes An Extraordinary Story Of Murder, Passion, And Deadly Ambition-a Political Thriller Like No Other.

publishers Weekly

when Lincoln Bowe, A Controversial Republican Ex-senator, Disappears At The Start Of This Fast-paced Thriller From Bestseller Sandford (broken Prey), The White House Puts Jacob Winter, A Veteran Political Operative With An Uncanny Ability To Navigate The World Of Bureaucracy, On The Case. Bowe Vanished Shortly After Making A Fiery Speech Denouncing A Rival, Arlo Goodman, The Governor Of Virginia And A Demagogue Who Heads A Volunteer Militia Group Known As The Watchmen. When Bowe's Burnt And Headless Corpse Turns Up, Winter Is Under Even More Pressure To Discover Those Behind His Murder. Aided By The Dead Man's Attractive And Possibly Duplicitous Widow, Madison, The Fixer Follows A Trail Of Corpses And Deception That Suggests The Killing May Have Been A Staged Piece Of Theater Intended To Derail Goodman's Ascent To The Presidency. Readers Interested In A Quick Diverting Romp Without Much Gravitas Will Enjoy This, But Serious Beltway Fiction Junkies Might Prefer Their Political Thrillers To Be A Little More Plausible. 500,000 Announced First Printing. (may) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Summoned by the White House chief of staff to investigate a series of elected official disappearances, Army intelligence veteran Jacob Winter finds the situation worsening when one of the missing victims is found brutally murdered. DESPITE THE MIST, she spent an hour working Chica, and working herself, and she smelled of it, mare-sweat and woman-sweat, with a tingle of Chanel No. 5.