★ 03/24/2014
Palmer (Stolen) burnishes his status as one of today’s best thriller writers with this emotionally gripping and steel-trap plotted standalone. Gage Dekker works at Lithio Systems, a maker of lithium-ion batteries in Waltham, Mass., doing quality assurance for a revolutionary new product. The loss of his seven-year-old son and first wife to a drunk driver still haunts him, but he’s tried to move on with a new spouse, Anna Miller, who also lost her son. Having failed to produce a baby of their own, Gage and Anna, a management consultant, have begun looking into adoption. One day at a bus stop, they encounter a crying pregnant woman, Lily, sitting on the curb. Anna gives Lily her card in case she needs help. Two weeks later, Lily turns up at their apartment to say she’s willing to let them adopt her baby. Lily moves into a spare room, but Gage soon gets bad vibes from her after a number of creepy incidents. The truth behind Lily’s offer is both complex and logical, and Palmer is so successful at getting readers to invest in Gage that his travails are almost too painful to read about. Agent: Meg Ruley, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (May)

"If you've somehow missed reading Daniel Palmer, it's time to—pardon the pun—get Desperate." –Harlan Coben

"Firmly places Palmer alongside the likes of Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner." —The Providence Journal

"Palmer burnishes his status as one of today's best thriller writers with this steel-trap plotted standalone." –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This is one of those thrillers where you know something is going on, and the writer gives you plenty of clues, but there are still some twists and turns he keeps hidden away until just the right moment." —Booklist

10/10/2014
After the death of his wife and son, Gage Dekker marries again, hoping to build a new family. He and Anna met at a grief counseling group, and they hope to adopt a child. Lily, who says she wants to give up her baby, moves in with them, and Gage finds himself facing one tense situation after another at home and at the security technology firm where he works. Trying to protect his wife, Gage makes one dire and desperate decision that leads to many more—and not a little danger. The characters seem irrational, but if the listener perseveres to the end, the plot twists come together to an unanticipated conclusion. Peter Berkot creates distinct voices for each of Palmer's characters.
Verdict Recommended for those who enjoy modern suspense novels.—Cheryl Youse, Moultrie, GA

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