The Witness
*Starred Review* Elizabeth Fitch is tired of living her life by her mother’s strict rules. So the minute her mother leaves for a medical conference, Elizabeth is out the door and headed to the mall. One new wardrobe, one new BFF, and two new fake IDs later, Liz finds herself at Chicago’s hottest nightclub. But before the night is over, Liz will be a witness to murder, when Alex Gurevich, the nightclub owner, is eliminated by two of his business associates. Twelve years later, Liz, now living as Abigail Lowery, has built a new life for herself as a freelance computer-security programmer in Bickford, Arkansas. Abigail’s first and only priority is staying one step ahead of the Russian Mob, who has never stopped trying to get rid of the one living witness to Gurevich’s murder. The only problem is that Bickford’s new chief of police, Brooks Gleason, simply refuses to let her live in peace, and nothing Abigail says or does seems to convince him that she doesn’t need his help. When it comes to flawlessly fusing high-stakes suspense with red-hot romance, Roberts is unrivaled, and her latest addictively readable novel is guaranteed to jangle readers’ nerves and keep them enthralled long past bedtime.            HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY:  The Witness is romance-legend Roberts’ 200th published novel (her first was Irish Thoroughbred, 1981). Fifty-one of her books have held the number-one slot on the New York Times best-seller list, and it’s a sure bet The Witness will be number 52. --John Charles