The tension and terrific pacing of Gardiner’s previous novels is present in this one as well.  The plot zigzags all over the place, and one of Gardiner’s many talents is letting readers think they know what’s going on when it turns out they really have no clue.  Being able to surprise seasoned thriller readers is not easy to do, yet Gardiner seems to have a knack for it each time she crafts a story.

One way this novel stands out from her previous efforts, though, is that this one takes a much darker turn.  The villain in this story is truly evil, and Gardiner isn’t afraid to put that evil on the page.  There are some brutally violent scenes in this book that will take some readers by surprise.  While the violence isn’t gratuitous — it serves the evil that is at work in the story and seems appropriate for this particular villain — it is graphic and ugly.  Be prepared.

The small flaws in this book are the same ones found in Gardiner’s previous work — a cast of characters that seems unnecessarily numerous, and a complex plot that teeters right on the edge of believability.  Gardiner, though, manages to hold it all together — again — and gives thriller fans a wild, entertaining ride.