The Second Perimeter

May 29, 2006
The second outing for political troubleshooter Joe DeMarco, who's employed by House Speaker John Mahoney, proves that Lawson's fine debut, The Inside Ring
(2005), was no fluke. Soon after DeMarco's arrival at the U.S. naval base in Bremerton, Wash., which an espionage ring has infiltrated, dead spies start turning up. Their control, a beautiful Chinese national, Li Mei, appears to be killing her underlings once they complete their jobs. After Li Mei gets her hands on top secret information about nuclear submarine technology, she boldly takes the next step—kidnapping one of DeMarco's operatives, who, theoretically, could be tortured into revealing more secrets about nuclear subs. While the author's prose is highly readable and his plot fast-paced, it's the character of DeMarco, a man of insecurities, weaknesses and outright defects, that separates this new series from the herd. DeMarco also has a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor that contrasts nicely to the solemn gravity of his professional circumstances.

September 4, 2006
Joe DeMarco returns for a second adventure after last year's excellent debut, The Inside Ring
. This time out DeMarco, an unofficial operative for the Speaker of the House, is asked to casually look into a security company that may be price gouging the government for its services at a U.S. naval base. However, DeMarco's innocent investigation quickly becomes a deadly matter of national security, involving stolen top secret information, murder and a ruthless Chinese agent out for revenge. Poe does an excellent job reading this complex thriller, providing just the right pace to keep the thrill quality of the material high, yet pulls back when needed in order to present the more human and less melodramatic aspects. He is especially adept in bringing out the humor laced lightly through the book. Poe gives DeMarco a ruffled, slightly put-upon but ultimately heroic persona, a solid, multileveled characterization. Karen DiMattia's abridgment should also be noted, as her judicious cutting manages to keep the story moving at a ready clip but never sacrifices coherency or character. Simultaneous release with the Doubleday hardcover (Reviews, May 29).