Knock Out Catherine Coulter

In Catherine Coulter's latest F.B.I. thriller, Knock Out, Special Agents and married couple Sherlock and Dillon Savich become involved in two unrelated but equally dangerous cases.

The Savich's unwittingly embroil themselves in a shoot-out bank robbery. Two of the suspects are killed, one ends up in the hospital, while the driver escapes. The young get-away driver, Victor, manages to spring his girlfriend, Lissy, from her hospital room. Lissy vows deadly revenge for the death of her mother, one of the robbers gunned down in the attempted bank heist. The two go on a bloody rampage, leaving bodies in their wake.

If this incident and the recovery of Sherlock from a past gunshot wound weren't enough, Dillon receives a psychic-vision message from a seven-year-old girl begging for his help. A strange cult-like family ,to which her father once belonged,wants her to join them, and her mother is on the run to protect her. Small town sheriff Ethan Merriweather and Dillon work together to keep little Autumn from these evil people's grasp, but this ruthless group employ strong powers of their own. Keeping up with both cases becomes a challenge for the Saviches as they attempt to keep the hunted from emerging as the hunters.

Coulter's F.B.I. novels are always an exciting reading experience, but "Knock Out" with its psychic conversation between Dillon and Autumn, puts a different slant on things. Expect plenty of unexpected plot twists that will make this book difficult to put down. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it a 6.

The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader Robert Ludlum

Although Robert Ludlum, creator of Jason Bourne, died in 2001 his legacy lives on with the latest in the Bourne saga; The Bourne Deception. Written by Eric Van Lustbader in the same precise, researched detail as Ludlum, Jason Bourne is again a haunted, wanted man, trying to stay alive while secretly following any clue that might reveal his past and true identity.

Jason survives a nearly successful attempt on his life, and goes into hiding on beautiful Bali. He is determined to find those who so desperatly want him dead, and the trail takes him to Paris and then Khartoum accompanied by a lovely art dealer with her own deceptive agenda.

Simultaneously, an American passenger plane is shot out of the sky over Egypt, causing a worldwide uproar. Iranian terrorists are suspected, but a special investigative team from the U.S. is sent to definetely determine the missile's source. What they discover seems unbelievable, but one fact is certain. Power-hungry men in many countries are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to achieve their evil goals.

Previous books and motion pictures have created many die-hard Jason Bourne fans. In this latest installment, Van Lustbader has meticulously created an intelligent and fast-paced novel of international intrigue. However, readers could soon tire of Bourne's story and expect a resolution to his memory loss and past activities. Perhaps in the near future we will see closure for one of the most exciting fictional characters ever created. In the meantime enjoy "The Bourne Deception", undoubtedly the best espionage, spy-thriller of 2009.