Sunday, February 24, 2008

Without a Trace- Sandra K. Moore

Without a Trace
Sandra K. Moore
Silhouette Athena Force, Mar 2008, $5.50
ISBN: 9780373389797

Delphi, whom she has never met, warned the Athena Academy for the Advancement of Women graduates that Arachne was kidnapping alumni. One of them Coast Guard Lieutenant Nikki Bustillo heeds the warning alertly watching her crewmates just in case. She loves her job working drug interdiction as she has the DNA enhanced ability to “smell trouble in a man’s sweat”.

After stopping a shrimp boat containing harshly treated refugees trying to sneak into the States, Nikki receives an encrypted message from Athena’s Delphi. She checks with her friend Two-Finger Jimmy who provides her information on a ship owned by S.H.A. leaving Miami for Hong Kong allegedly carrying textiles. Nikki believes they are carting human cargo. She heads to Hong Kong where she works with local police detective Johnny Zhao. However, as they find themselves in deep trouble from a powerful adversary with international criminal connections, they are attracted to one another, but Nikki wants his respect while Johnny needs her safe after his previous contact was murdered.

The latest Athena Academy alumni adventure is a superb romantic suspense thriller that focuses on human trafficking. The story line is fast-paced and the lead couple a strong pairing who understands mission supersedes love. Although I am bias when it comes to this consistently entertaining series, newcomers will see why as Sandra K. Moore provides a great entry in a strong saga.

Harriet Klausner

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