Bloomburg, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; the Present

A lead to the possible killer of forensic sculptor Eve Duncan's daughter, Bonnie, takes Atlanta Police Detective Joe Quinn to Bloomburg, Illinois, but the man is gone, leaving the local sheriff behind...dead. Bonnie disappeared years ago, but her body was never found. This haunts Eve; she won't rest until she brings Bonnie home. Joe loves Eve and has always supported her search, but he's beginning to resent her obsession. At the same time, he's very protective of her and hoped to spare her in case nothing came of this lead. It's too late. The suspect, going by the name of Henry Kistle, uses the sheriff's cell phone to call her and taunt her. Now the chase is on in earnest. Joe, Eve, and their adopted daughter, Jane, are joined by Colonel Luis Montalvo of Colombia (see the prequel, STALEMATE) and his young associate Miguel Vicente. Montalvo wants Eve for himself and hopes to usurp Joe's place in her life.

Kistle is an evil sadist who thrives on torturing children before killing them and hiding their bodies. He may or may not have abducted Bonnie but only have learned of her through the case's wide publicity. Either way, he's thoroughly enjoying outwitting Eve and Joe Quinn and setting the rules for the game.

It's not hard to sympathize with Joe. Eve's devotion to the dead is deep, and not just to Bonnie, but also to the children whose faces she reconstructs from their skulls. Of course, she feels for the parents of the lost children and works to identify the victims for their sakes as well. Eve loves Jane and Joe, and while Jane is content to share Eve with Bonnie, does Joe's frustration leave room for Montalvo to move in? Montalvo went through a tragedy similar to Eve's, and they have a real, if tenuous connection. Woven throughout the main plot is the story of "Carrie," the little girl whose face Eve is trying to discover.

Dr. Megan Blair from Ms. Johansen's previous novel, PANDORA'S DAUGHTER, plays a part in QUICKSAND. She's a psychic with a true talent that's more a curse than a gift and seems to be raising the paranormal quotient of the series. Where will this new direction take Joe, Eve, and Montalvo? QUICKSAND and other of Ms. Johansen's Eve Duncan novels can be chilling, even horrifying, but they certainly keep a reader on edge. I sorely wanted to see Eve finally put Bonnie to rest, but even more, I wanted Kistle to come to a bad, bad end. Though a thriller with a riveting plot, QUICKSAND's enjoyment is also based on the evolving relationships among its characters, none of whom remain static. If you are unfamiliar with this series, it's okay to jump right into QUICKSAND, but be warned; you may find it difficult to climb out.

Jane Bowers