Bill Eidson, The Mayday

The Mayday

Bill Eidson

Justin Charles, Jan2005, $24.95, 336 pp.

ISBN 1932112332

After a boating accident at sea, Matt Coulter wakes up from a coma to hear that his family is dead, although they didn't recover the bodies of his two children. He doesn't remember much, but he believes that the kids were picked up at sea by a yacht with an unusual anchor plate. He goes to boat contractor Sarah Ballard in the hopes that she can help identify the boat which would in turn lead him to the person who took his children.

Sarah takes him to her sometimes partner, ex-DEA agent Jack Merchant, who listens to his story and believes that the man might be clinging to false hope. Out of sympathy, he agrees to hire for a few days, never believing he will find that particular boat. Once he does, he realizes that Matt's story is true and the children could still be alive. He and Sarah work together to find the children, not realizing they are up against two dangerous sociopaths who will kill anyone who gets in their way.

Bill Eidson has written a crime thriller that is fast-paced, action-packed and full of chills and thrills. This second novel in a great new series is even better than the REPO as hard as that is to believe. Jack Merchant is a tough macho man but when it comes to his feelings for Sarah he is gentle and vulnerable. This duo is a terrific crime fighting team and is one of the main reasons that this series should have a long life. Hearts will go out to the victims in this work with hopes that the criminals get their just deserts.

Harriet Klausner