Former NYPD detective John Corey brought down Libyan terrorist Asad Khalil, aka The Lion, in 2010's The Lion, and now he's hunting another big cat: Yemeni-American Bulus ibn al-Darwish al Numair, aka The Panther, one of the Al Qaeda masterminds behind the attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in 2000. After being baited by their boss, Special Agent in Charge Tom Walsh, Corey and his FBI agent wife, Kate Mayfield, volunteer for the dangerous mission in Yemen, and they soon find themselves at the top of Al Qaeda's assassination list. A corrupt and ineffective government barely controls the cities, tribal chiefs rule the hinterlands, and U.S. operatives fear that Al Qaeda is growing stronger. Plus, Corey doesn't even trust other members of the U.S. team. Essentially chosen to serve as panther bait, Corey and Mayfield are equally dangerous predators and DeMille puts them through the wringer as attacks come from all sides when they head into the Badlands with a daring plot to trap their target. Tricks and twists abound in this fast moving thriller where everyone has their own agenda and survival is the ultimate goal. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* Following closely on the heels of The Lion (2010), this gripping thriller (set early in 2004) finds antiterrorist agent John Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, joining an investigative team in Yemen. Their stated mission: to continue looking into the suicide bombing of the USS Cole, the military vessel that was attacked by al-Qaeda in the port of Aden three-and-a-half years earlier. Their unstated mission: to bring to justice the mastermind of the Cole bombing, the man known as the Panther. As with previous Corey novels, the book balances suspense and action with humor: Corey relates the story in the first person, spicing his narrative with witty or sarcastic asides and other entertaining verbal meanderings, as though he's telling us the story at a far remove, when the tense and potentially deadly events of the mission have been tempered by time and distance. Packed as usual with memorable characters (including one who's starred in a couple of his own DeMille novels), political commentary, gritty atmosphere, and action, the book will be gobbled up by the author's many fans, but readers unfamiliar with DeMille's work (if there still are any) should be steered in its direction, too. It's a first-class thriller, regardless of whether John Corey is the reader's old friend or a new acquaintance. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: DeMille's latest will draw on both the author's sterling track record and an A-list promotion campaign to vault it onto best-seller lists.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

In this sixth thriller featuring antiterrorist agent John Corey and his beautiful FBI-agent wife, Kate Mayfield, the two are sent on a highly dangerous assignment in Yemen to arrest or kill the ruthless Al Qaeda murderer known as the Panther. They were handpicked for the assignment because the CIA is using them as bait to lure the target out of hiding. Scott Brick does an excellent job reading-he captures John Corey's sarcastic humor and provides the listener with many laugh-out-loud moments. His foreign accents are flawless, and each character has a unique voice and tone. The abridgment is seamless. VERDICT Highly recommended for thriller collections. ["Die-hard fans and new readers will discover hours of entertainment here," read the review of the New York Times best-selling Grand Central hc, LJ Xpress Reviews, 10/12/12.-Ed.]-Ilka Gordon, Aaron Garber Lib., Cleveland (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.