Facing Fear
Gennita Low
Avon Mar 2004, $5.99, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0060523395

As the Chief of Operations for the CIA Tiara Task Force Two, Ricardo Harden knows that Internal Investigations (Eyes) will look closely at his activities since arresting his superior Gorman for treason. Though he is innocent, he realizes he will be the fall guy and probably deserves to be so as he ignored signs of sedition so he could be the safe bureaucrat.

Nikki Taylor is assigned to investigate Rick, but not for "Eyes". Admiral Madison wants to know if Rick would make a good chief of Tiara. Nick is stunned because Nikki looks like his wife who vanished during an operation ten years ago. As they make love and fall in love, he hides a secret about his wife that ended his career that he will never reveal while she has even more clandestine confidential information about who she really is.

FACING FEAR is an engaging espionage romance that emphasizes the internal politics of protecting your butt when scandal happens. The Agency looks bad as it prefers to ignore a potential monstrous flaw in its process in order to find a scapegoat so that the higher ups in government remain untainted (perhaps that is why the real life leak of the agent's name last Spring still remains unresolved in spite of the President's public desires). The story line contains major twists that will shock readers yet seems apropos because the lead couple make it believable. Fans of terse internal affairs CIA tales with a strong romantic underpinning will enjoy soaring with Gennita Low's fine taut thriller.

Harriet Klausner