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'The Assassin' Incites Talk Of Intrusion In War

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By K. SUE COLLINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 17, 2008

"The Assassin," by Stephen Coonts (St. Martin's Press, $27)

A tiny group of influential businessmen fed up with the war on terrorism launches its own private war against the terrorists in Stephen Coonts' newest, "The Assassin," a timely thriller with explosive action.

With his son murdered by terrorists overseas, Huntington Winchester and a collection of wealthy friends decide to take their shot at the terrorists. Through murky channels and disavowing the United States involvement, he hires Adm. Jake Grafton to hunt down and kill Abu Qasim, the vicious leader of al-Qaida.

Though not officially a government operative, Grafton has access to sources the average citizen would not possess and recruits his best agent, Tommy Carmellini.

The hunt takes them from one side of the Atlantic to the other. As secrets pass, the plot becomes unmasked. Soon, it is the assassins who find themselves dodging bullets. Tommy's mission is twofold: take out Abu Qasim and find the source of the leaks. His assignment is complicated by his attraction to the sultry Marisa Petrou, who may be Qasim's daughter and whose motives remain unclear. Is she daddy's little girl? To trust Marisa may prove fatal to Tommy and his team.

Coonts delivers a fast-paced espionage novel certain to incite discussions about the private sector's intrusion in a military conflict. No matter what your political beliefs are, "The Assassin" packs a wallop.

K. Sue Collins of Tampa is a crime novelist.

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