From Publishers Weekly
Front-page violence and the comforting bromides of a caring ghost mingle in Cresswell's latest romantic suspense (after The Refuge). Since the death of her husband Sam, Verity Marlowe has been soaking in self-pity and vodka, but she's yanked out of it by his ghost (a sweet spirit who calls her "sugar babe") and his friend, Michael Strait, a spy for a counterterrorist unit. In the midst of Verity's leave of absence, her boss at the State Department calls her in to meet with Khalid Muhammad, her old Kashmiri friend. Kashmiri terrorists have sent Khalid to D.C. to deliver a threat, but he refuses to give U.S. officials any more information until he speaks with Verity, who was born and raised in Kashmir. Before he is gunned down, he passes her a key to a safe-deposit box containing software to launch nuclear missiles and informs her that an American official is trading arms with Saddam Hussein. While Verity and Michael try to root out the traitor, they pursue the passion they were too honorable to explore when Sam was alive. Unfortunately, Cresswell provides her readers with only two possible villains, one of whom is obviously a red herring, so the traitor is never a surprise. Despite this lack of suspense, Creswell skillfully dramatizes the trouble in Kashmir and portrays characters who will interest and involve the reader. (Sept.)Forecast: A stark, shadowy cover won't boost sales any, but Cresswell's readers are a devoted lot. Her latest will appeal to fans of Helen R. Meyers and Lynn Erickson as well, and booksellers may see improved crossover sales if they feature the three authors together.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
The U.S. State Department has two questionable employees: one is a traitor, and the other has lost her edge. Verity Marlowe's life has spiraled into a haze of alcohol and self-pity following the death of her husband. The State Department considers her a security risk, but when terrorist violence erupts overseas, they have no choice but to call her back on assignment. Michael Strait has lied to Verity about his profession, his feelings and his past. Can she believe him when he insists that the only way to save her life is to trust him? In a high-stakes game of international terror and million-dollar payoffs, someone is determined that she should die. If Verity trusts the wrong person, it will be the last mistake she'll ever make.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Jasmine Cresswell has crafted another sexy, compelling, contemporary spy story. For Verity Marlowe, all that was good in life ended with the death of her vibrant young husband, Sam, six months ago. Since then, she's been on leave from her job with the State Department, drifting along in a haze of self-pity and vodka. That ends when she receives two surprising visits. The first is from Sam's ghost, telling her to get a grip, get back to work, and even to start dating. The other is from Michael Strait, a rogue agent who was Sam's best friend: the only other man Verity ever considered loving. Michael tells her that an explosive situation has developed involving foreign governments, and Verity is the woman of the hour. The State Department needs her connections, a mysterious informant will deal only with her, and Michael claims to need her both on the job and in his arms. Suddenly, Verity has no choice but to come back to life and prove she hasn't lost her edge amid all the deadly complexities of the high-stakes world of international terrorism. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game against a fanatic, and Verity is not only fighting for the security of the U.S., but for the promise of life itself -- with Michael by her side.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The U.S. State Department has two questionable employees: one is a traitor, and the other has lost her edge.

Verity Marlowe's life has spiraled into a haze of alcohol and self-pity following the death of her husband. The State Department considers her a security risk, but when terrorist violence erupts overseas, they have no choice but to call her back on assignment.

Michael Strait has lied to Verity about his profession, his feelings and his past. Can she believe him when he insists that the only way to save her life is to trust him? In a high-stakes game of international terror and million-dollar payoffs, someone is determined that she should die. If Verity trusts the wrong person, it will be the last mistake she'll ever make.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly