Hostage Taker: A Novel (Eve Rossi Book 1)

Hostage Taker: A Novel (Eve Rossi Book 1)

<b>NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY <i>LIBRARY JOURNAL</i> <b>AND <i>SUSPENSE MAGAZINE </i></b>• </b>From Edgar Award winner Stefanie Pintoff comes the start of an electrifying new thriller series featuring Eve Rossi, head of a secret division of the FBI—one made up of ex-convicts with extraordinary talents, oversized egos, and contempt for the rules. Perfect for readers of Iris Johansen and Catherine Coulter.<br /><br /> TERROR STRIKES AN ICONIC CHURCH—AND BRINGS A CITY TO ITS KNEES.<br /><br /> In the hushed quiet of early morning Manhattan, in front of the towering bronze doors of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, a young woman holds a sign that reads: <i>HELP ME</i>. For one FBI agent, a madman’s terrified hostages, and an entire city, a long and harrowing day is about to unfold.<br /><br /> The hostage taker’s identity is unknown. But he knows who FBI agent Eve Rossi is—and everything about her past. Along with her presence, he demands five witnesses: ordinary people with some hidden connection. Defying her superiors, Eve begins a deadly dance with an adversary whose intentions are surely sinister, whose endgame is anything but certain, and whose cunning keeps him one step ahead at every turn.<br /><br /> As Eve manages a taut hostage situation, she relies on the combined skills of her team—a secret unit inspired by France’s most notorious criminal and made up of ex-convicts with extraordinary talents, oversized egos, and contempt for the rules.<br /><br /> Eve is up against a rapidly ticking clock. But the dangerous man calling the shots has a timetable of his own—and a searing question for his targets: What are you guilty of? As shocking revelations surface, so does another crisis nobody could anticipate—one not even Eve and her team may be able to stop.<br /><br /><b>Praise for <i>Hostage Taker</i></b><br /><br />“A high-voltage game of parry and thrust.”<b>—New York <i>Daily News<br /></i></b><br />“The perfect blend: an urban thriller as modern as tomorrow’s <i>New York Times</i>, driven by a two-hundred-year-old idea, with a main character to die for. I hope we see plenty more of Eve Rossi and her team.”<b>—Lee Child, #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Personal</i></b><br /><br />“The concept is great. . . . The twists are good, and the emotion level climbs higher and higher. . . . Pintoff has serious potential to go into waters already charted by the likes of Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, and Allison Brennan.”<b>—Sarah Weinman, <i>The Crime Lady</i></b><br /><br /> “Amazing . . . [<i>Hostage Taker</i>] will keep you awake nights. . . . The book boasts a dynamic heroine. . . . You will never look at the beauties of the complicated structure that is St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York quite the same again.”<b>—Liz Smith, <i>New York Social Diary<br /></i></b><br /> “A high-velocity roller coaster of a thriller!”<b>—Jeffery Deaver, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Skin Collector</i></b><br /><br /> “A brilliant thriller from a gifted writer . . . Pintoff is one of the best crime writers at work today.”<b>—Michael Koryta, <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author of<i> Those Who Wish Me Dead</i></b><br /><br />“A gripping conclusion . . . tense and thoughtful . . . a sharp new crime series.”<b>—<i>Nights and Weekends</i></b><br /><br /> “Pintoff skillfully ratchets up the tension and throws more than one curveball into this twisty, exciting read.”<b>—<i>Booklist</i> (starred review)</b><br /><br /> “Strong writing, a well-paced plot, and intriguing characters make this one of the best thrillers of the year. Fans of Lisa Gardner will find much to like here.”<b>—<i>Library Journal </i>(starred review)</b><br /><br /><br /><i>From the Hardcover edition.</i>