From Kirkus Reviews
The Dublin police are shocked and mystified when a bomb explodes under a busy city street, killing six and injuring many othersthis, just days before the state visit of the US President. Detective Superintendent Blade Macken, head of the investigation, takes the first call from the bomber, who, in an electronically disguised voice, names himself Angel and threatens more explosions if his demand for $25 million isn't met. A frantic police search follows, with dogs below the streets hunting for devices planted years ago, along with harried consultations with American Ambassador Seaborg, his CIA man Lawrence Redfern, and police psychologist Dr. Earley. Meanwhile, the calls to Blade keep coming, revealing Angel's familiarity with officers on the force and an eerie awareness of Blade's every move. The detective has personal crises to deal with, too, mostly concerning his long-estranged wife Joan, their teenaged son and daughter, and Joan's live-in lover, Jim Roche, owner of Centurion Security and an electronics gizmo expert. But Blade's own heavy drinking and wenching habits don't prevent him from making connections that eventually uncover Angel's true identity and, in time, also reveal the past events that underlie the carnage. A first novel marked by breakneck pacingslowed later by too many bloody encounters, too many subplots, and too much electronics babble. Unrelentingly raw language and graphic sex scenes may be off-putting to some, but, still, most readers will stick with this hard-bitten, tumultuous story to the finish. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
