From Publishers Weekly
Prowling from the crime-ridden south Florida killing fields to the steamy jungles of Malaysia, Hall's latest novel finds Thorn, the moody hero of several previous yarns (Mean High Tide, etc.), entangled in the crusades of childhood friend Allison Farleigh, founder of the Wildlife Protection League, a worldwide organization dedicated to saving exotic endangered animals. When Allison's eldest daughter is shot dead while accompanying her mother and younger sister on the annual orangutan census in the wilds of Borneo, Thorn gets embroiled in the case, which eventually pits him against a sociopathic pair of twins engaged in the brokering of rare animals to zoological collectors-and, lurking behind them, a rich and powerful collector whose designs bring the action to Brunei for a brutally satisfying denouement. Hall's fans may be surprised to find that Thorn plays second fiddle here to Allison, but they won't be disappointed with this charismatically courageous woman or her adventures. With its far-flung locales and unexpected heroine, this is Hall's most ambitious novel yet, a work of considerable moral depth distinguished by rich characterizations, live-wire prose and bolts of offbeat humor. Major ad/promo; audio rights to BDD Audio Cassette; author tour; British, translation, performance rights: Sobel Weber Associates Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Library Journal
Hall's fifth action adventure novel featuring Thorn, one of the protagonists from Mean High Tide (Delacorte, 1994), begins on a compelling note, loses momentum in the middle, and ends on a resounding but cacophonous chord. The rich tropical setting, a hallmark of Hall's thrillers, enhances the characterization of Allison Farleigh. A tenacious animal rights activist, Allison takes her daughters to a jungle in Malaysia, where one of her daughters is murdered by a poacher. With the help of lover Thorn, Allison learns the identity of her daughter's assailant and destroys him in a raw, violent chain of events that recalls Jurassic Park. Background data on the mercenary capture of endangered animals enhances the theme. A good choice for larger collections.
--Joyce Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
