From the creator of Rambo, comes his latest thriller about an ex-newspaper reporter wanted for the murder of a diplomat he was assigned to interview. (July)

Burned-out and grief-stricken after the death of his son, journalist Matthew Pittman is sitting in his bathtub with a loaded revolver pointed at the roof of his mouth when the telephone rings. His suicide interrupted, Matthew is assigned to write an obituary for the dying Jonathan Millgate, an 80-year-old member of a prestigious group that advises U.S. presidents. Soon, however, Millgate is kidnapped from his deathbed and killed, and Pittman is accused of the murder. Fleeing Millgate's true murderers and the police they control, Pittman suddenly gains interest in a life that he was prepared to abandon only days before. Here, best-selling author Morrell is at the top of his craft. The in-depth characterization, believable and unpredictable plot developments, and psychological depths of this thriller will draw all readers. Libraries should put it at the top of their must-buy lists for the fall. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/94.]-Alice DiNizo, Raritan P.L., N.J.

Christopher Lane brings his considerable talents to bear on this new audio edition of Morrell’s 1994 thriller about the harrowing experiences of Matt Pittman, an idealistic investigative journalist turned burned-out obituary writer. On the verge of suicide after the loss of his young son to cancer and the breakup of his marriage, Pittman agrees to write a final article for his soon-to-be-defunct daily newspaper—an obituary for a man who is not yet dead—and inadvertently stumbles into a violent struggle with a powerful cadre of aging diplomats. Lane’s performance captures the spirit and tone of Morrell’s novel, and he masterfully conveys the depths of Pittman’s grief and depression. Additionally, the narrator’s rendering of dialects and accents is effective. Fans of political thrillers are in for an entertaining listen, although contemporary audiences may find the book’s technological references—which predate the Internet and mobile phones—downright anachronistic. A Warner paperback. (Aug.)