Library Journal
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Former NYPD Anti-Terrorist Task Force agent John Corey (The Lion) is back, with all his wit and cynicism intact. With one major terrorist capture under his belt, he is now under pressure to apprehend the Panther, the al-Qaeda mastermind behind the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, travel to Yemen on one of the most dangerous assignments of their careers. What awaits them is a country in turmoil, where every road holds the threat of a suicide bomber or terrorist attack. To make matters worse, no person is above suspicion, including the agents already in place to assist them. The excitement and suspense grow as Corey and his wife get closer to the al-Qaeda camp where the Panther may be hiding. Verdict Despite the hefty 600-plus-page length, which might intimidate some readers, DeMille's latest novel takes us on a nail-biting thrill ride to rival the other titles in this series. The dead-pan humor does grow a little tiresome when every conversation seems to be another opportunity for Corey to insert a sarcastic comment, but for fans, Corey's wit is one of his most beloved characteristics. Die-hard fans and new readers will discover hours of entertainment here. [See Prepub Alert, 4/23/12.]-Cynthia A. Price, Francis Marion Univ. Lib., Florence, SC (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

*Starred Review* Following closely on the heels of The Lion (2010), this gripping thriller (set early in 2004) finds antiterrorist agent John Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, joining an investigative team in Yemen. Their stated mission: to continue looking into the suicide bombing of the USS Cole, the military vessel that was attacked by al-Qaeda in the port of Aden three-and-a-half years earlier. Their unstated mission: to bring to justice the mastermind of the Cole bombing, the man known as the Panther. As with previous Corey novels, the book balances suspense and action with humor: Corey relates the story in the first person, spicing his narrative with witty or sarcastic asides and other entertaining verbal meanderings, as though he's telling us the story at a far remove, when the tense and potentially deadly events of the mission have been tempered by time and distance. Packed as usual with memorable characters (including one who's starred in a couple of his own DeMille novels), political commentary, gritty atmosphere, and action, the book will be gobbled up by the author's many fans, but readers unfamiliar with DeMille's work (if there still are any) should be steered in its direction, too. It's a first-class thriller, regardless of whether John Corey is the reader's old friend or a new acquaintance. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: DeMille's latest will draw on both the author's sterling track record and an A-list promotion campaign to vault it onto best-seller lists.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist