In Land's unrelentingly plot-driven fifth novel featuring Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong (after 2012's Strong Vengeance), Strong accompanies her lover's son, Dylan Torres, on a visit to Brown University in Providence, R.I.-a trip that turns to near tragedy when gunmen open fire on Dylan. Meanwhile, back in San Antonio, Tex., there's a similar attempt on the life of Dylan's brother, Luke. Strong uncovers not simply a plot to target these two boys but something much more sinister-an elaborate criminal enterprise that dates back to the Mexican drug cartels of 1919 and involved Strong's Texas Ranger great-grandfather, William Ray Strong. Lending assistance to Strong is Guillermo Paz, a student of German philosophy, who has a knack for always showing up in just the nick of time with a loaded gun. While Land brings a great deal of wonderful history into his story, some readers may find tiresome his habit of ending nearly every chapter with a cliffhanger. Agent: Natalia Aponte, Natalia Aponte Literary Agency. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Land continues to deliver some of the best, most thought-provoking thrillers in the business. Female Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong balances the fine line between right and wrong in the pursuit of justice. When she survives ambush, along with her boyfriend, Cort Wesley Masters, and his two teenage sons, Strong tries to figure out who is after her. Evidence, however, points to the boys' being the true targets. It turns out that a drug conspiracy going back more than 100 years is giving ancient family history deadly present-day sting. Land has crafted a terrific hero in Strong: a tough woman who could go one-on-one with most of the male leads in today's popular thrillers. The Texas Ranger history and the family dynamics mix well with the bullets, creating a contemporary western feel. Fans will see this as the best one yet in the series, and newcomers will quickly seek out the other Caitlin Strong books.--Ayers, Jeff Copyright 2010 Booklist