Pirate Alley: A Novel
After a decade-long absence, Coonts’ first and most popular protagonist, Jake Grafton, returns to action, ably assisted by Tommy Carmellini, who in addition to costarring in a few previous Grafton novels has also top-lined a handful of books of his own. When a cruise ship is taken by Somali pirates, Jake and Tommy attack the problem on different fronts, Jake trying to broker a truce with the pirate overlord while Tommy spearheads an undercover mission to rescue the hostages. Full of action and anchored by a pair of strong protagonists (not to mention an equally strong supporting cast, most notably the captain of the cruise ship), this one will definitely appeal to Coonts’ legion of fans, who have been eagerly awaiting the return of Grafton and Carmellini. Coonts is one of those writers whose name on the cover pretty much guarantees a certain level of quality, and he doesn’t disappoint here. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The track record tells the story: there have been 16 New York Times best-sellers with Coonts’ name on the spine. --David Pitt