Altman,
John. Deception. Putnam. May 2003. c272p. ISBN 0-399-15040-4.
$24.95. Fiction.
Altman set a high standard for himself
with his first two novels, A Gathering of Spies and A Game
of Spies, both of which were set in World War II. His third
thriller is a contemporary tale that uses high-stakes physics
as a catalyst for a chase-driven plot. Having accepted tickets
from a friend whose plans have changed, Hannah Gray sets sail
from Venice on a cruise to Istanbul. She needs time to think
because of her involvement in a Medicare fraud case back home
in Chicago. But that’s the least of her problems: she
is unwittingly given a paperback with a highly valuable scientific
formula written inside. Stephen Epstein, on the run from Applied
Data Systems, knows that his formula for predicting the lifetime
of microscopic black holes can result in disastrous consequences
if it falls into the wrong hands. When he is murdered before
he can recover the paperback, Hannah is targeted and soon finds
herself pitted against hired killers, Russian spies, a Saudi
prince, and American agents. While not as compelling as Altman’s
first two novels, this lean, competent thriller is recommended
for large public libraries and collections already holding
his previous works.