THE THESEUS CONSPIRACY

A tenacious Army agent tries to head off nuclear destruction in this thriller.

In this nerve-wracking second volume of Alvarez’s adventure series, Criminal Investigation Division special agent Jacqueline “Belle” Sinclair finds herself working without her partner. On a secret mission to Afghanistan, Defense Intelligence Agency operative Tom Price, Belle’s fiance, is badly injured after being the lone survivor of a Taliban attack. That same day, a Navy SEAL team rescues a captive from a Russian prison. That victory is short-lived, as a squad of Russian operatives attacks the German safe house where the prisoner is being held; he is one of two people to escape the massacre. That prisoner is Theseus, born Matthew Banks, a United States double agent who was disavowed by the Americans and captured by the Russians. Banks has collected seven nuclear suitcase bombs, which he plans to plant in the U.S. and Russia to gain his revenge. Belle gets involved with Banks’ scheme after her best friend, Maj. Jessica Alice Wayne, dies on her doorstep after delivering a hard drive to her. Belle has Richard Crenshaw, a friend of Tom’s, crack the drive, and she learns of Banks’ plot. Then Belle, aided by FBI agent Dan Russell and CIA agent Patricia Courtney, scrambles to stop Banks despite interference by Russian operatives. The Russians also want to seize Banks and the bombs. Alvarez’s hard-driving narrative runs over any nagging questions readers may have about the plot. For instance: After bruising encounters with Russian agents, why didn’t the Americans sweep their vehicles for surveillance devices? And why doesn’t Belle’s father, Provost Marshal Richard Longstreet Sinclair, act like he could be a target of those seeking to derail his daughter’s investigations? There is also a subplot about Russian officials’ using the bombs to stage a coup that adds little to the narrative. Nevertheless, the author’s characters shine. Belle proves a military wonder woman who is hell-bent on completing her mission despite her lingering concerns about Tom and her father. Russell is her dependable lieutenant in Tom’s stead while Courtney is a wild card. Even villain Banks is comprehensible despite his madness. What results is a complex character study among the flying bullets.

In this frenetic conspiracy tale, characterization blends smoothly with action to produce a satisfying read.