Taking Eve

Publishers Weekly Bestseller Johansen’s fast-paced 15th novel featuring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan (after 2012’s Sleep No More) begins a new trilogy. A gunman taking a shot at Eve’s adopted daughter, Jane, interrupts the quiet life that Eve and her longtime lover, police detective Joe Quinn, have been leading at their lakeside cottage outside Atlanta, Ga. To add to their woes, a madman, Jim Doane, kidnaps Eve and orders her to reconstruct the face of his late son, Kevin, from what he claims is Kevin’s skull. While Eve schemes to escape her captor, Jane and Joe, who discover that the CIA has knowledge of Doane, race to rescue Eve before Doane can do her harm. That Eve can communicate while in a dreamlike state with her deceased daughter, Bonnie, adds some paranormal thrills. Johansen expertly ratchets up the suspense as the action builds to a riveting conclusion. First printing of 300,000. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Apr.)