A Washington police detective and his family become the targets of a killer contacted to grab them and extract information.

Sent in to protect the family -- and discover who is paying this ruthless "lifter" -- is government protection officer Corte.

Corte and the lifter are both devious and dangerous game players, and determined to outwit the other whatever the cost.

This premise is a perfect vehicle for Deaver's brand of clever plotting and constantly switching allegiances.

But although the twists come thick and fast, and the prose is always readable, the characters are impersonal and the novel is a little disappointing.

David Knights