Trader of Secrets A Paul Madriani Novel By Steve Martini HarperLuxe Larger Print (14 point), 2011 ISBN: 978-0062064967 Genre: Mystery

Reviewed by Israel Drazin - October 3, 2011

Trader of Secrets is a continuation of Steve Martini's prior novel about lawyer Paul Madriani, but it includes two new exciting plots, and people who didn't read the prior novel will not be disadvantaged and will enjoy this book. It contains three plots. The first is the continuation where the expert Mexican assassin, Liquida, is trying to find a way to murder Paul Madriani because he feels that Madriani had fouled one of his jobs and had made it impossible for him to use the money he attained for the job.

The second plot focuses on Madriani's feeling that he needs to find and kill Liquida before he kills him, his daughter, partner, and investigator. Thus, Madriani leaves his daughter in the hands of the FBI, who don't do a good job of protecting her, while he, his partner, and his girl friend search for Liquida. The investigator had been hurt badly by Liquida and is recuperating in the house with Madriani's daughter.

The third and principle plot concerns a new highly destructive weapon developed by the US, which the two government employees who are developing the project are selling to foreigners. A senior middleman in one transaction hires Liquida to kill the two men after they have successfully transferred all the information about the weapon. Both the US and another government have many agents who know that the information about the weapon is being stolen and are doing their best to stop the transfer.

The story is well crafted, full of tension and suspense. If one wants to quibble, one could complain that the second plot, where Madriani and his helpers try to find Liquida is somewhat weak. The group seems to stumble on clues rather than use reason and the involvement of the small group in the tale seems to be an attempt to add humor to the two other well-developed plots.

• The Rule of Nine, by Steve Martini.
  In the 11th Paul Madriani thriller, the San Diego defense attorney once again crosses paths with hired assassin Liquida Muerte (aka the Mexicutioner) who is bent on revenge. Meanwhile, a terrorist mastermind is plotting a horrific attack on the U.S.
  
  
• The Dark Tide, by Andrew Gross.
  Karen Friedman thinks it's a mistake when two men show up asking about her dead husband's business, but millions of dollars don't disappear by accident—and all trails lead to Charles. Then detective Ty Hauck makes a discovery while investigating a suspicious hit-and-run—a clue that shockingly points to Charles.