TARMAC
by Lynne Heitman
Onyx, $6.99 (416p) ISBN 0- 451-410084 
An intricate and explosive, thriller involving money laundering, murder, drug trafficking and used parts fraud, Heitman's second novel (Hard Landing} finds gutsy airline manager Alex Shanahan in peril and embroiled in a mystery once again. Despite her lack of any formal investigative skills, and only days before beginning a new job m Detroit, Alex heads to Miami following the inexplicable murder of her friend and former coworker, John McTavish. Her only leads are a charred aircraft logbook and a diamond ring, both confiscated from an Ecuadorian plane crash and sent to her by John prior to his death. When she unwisely decides to follow a suspect to a remote salvage yard, she meets and teams up with retired FBI agent Jack Dolan, who is coincidentally there to investigate the deaths of two police officers. Together they discover what John had stumbled upon - a black market for used aircraft parts masterminded by a notorious drug lord and a bloodthirsty Vietnam veteran. Heitman pilots this mystery with a sure hand, her airline expertise and in-depth knowledge of the multi-million dollar "used parts" business lending it a chilling reality. Her diverse cast of supporting characters including a beautiful money laundress, a power-hungry FBI rookie and a young computer whiz, round out this tightly woven, compelling read.

Forecast: Heitman's star is poised to take off, but her latest may encounter some turbulence on the way to the bestseller lists due to its timing and sensitive subject matter. Although some readers will be put off by a book involving plane crashes and illegal parts scams, others will be drawn in by John J.Nance's cover quote and become hooked by the author's evocative prose. 

January 21, 2002 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY