A PERFECT PLAN... Scott Thomas doesn’t know it, but he has been chosen. Not because he’s handsome, smart, or on the verge of a brilliant career as a clinical psychologist trained at Harvard. No, Scott has been chosen because he has the perfect life–for someone who needs a life to destroy.… A PERFECT LIE... It starts with a bizarre carjacking, followed by an apparent burglary in his Cambridge apartment. Then a woman is murdered at the hospital where he works, and evidence of Scott’s guilt is all around him–on his computer, in his apartment, in the dead woman’s room. With police hunting for him and a bizarre stranger watching his every move, Scott must take a chance on trusting a beautiful woman and searching through a shadow world of computer hackers and unclosed chapters of his own past. Because with the perfect frame closing around him and a killer growing more violent, Scott has only one choice now: to take back his life–or die trying…. From the Paperback edition.From Publishers WeeklyHandsome, smart, Harvard-educated Scott Thomas makes the mistake of picking up two hitchhikers who then hijack his car at the start of this compelling mystery thriller from Stewart (A Clean Kill). Soon after, Thomas is rescued by Cannonball Walker, a mysterious and weathered African-American bluesman driving an ancient black Cadillac, and embarks on a journey that may destroy his life. Recently trained as a clinical psychologist, Thomas appears to have the "perfect life," but he falls prey to a complicated and impenetrable plot to frame him for the murder of Patricia Hunter, a high-profile socialite in his care at Boston Hospital. Evidence of Thomas's guilt is everywhere, and with the police on the prowl and a stranger following him, Thomas must discover who he can and cannot trust while trying to clear his name. By teaming with Walker and a spunky information technician at the hospital, he plunges into the underworld of computer hackers and his own dark past. Laced with page-turning tension and memorable scenes that are as poignant as they are vital, the book also follows numerous subplots that prove to be equally intriguing. Rich details and smart use of dialogue help make this a near-perfect ride. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review"Compelling ... Laced with page-turning tension and memorable scenes that are as poignant as they are vital.... Rich details and smart use of dialogue help make this a near-perfect ride."--Publishers Weekly “Stewart shows a gift for economy of language and plot that is rare these days, and a talent for evoking atmosphere that has all but vanished from thriller novels.…” –Washington Post “Stewart evokes taste, smell, sight and touch to put the reader right in the middle of the scene.” –Charlotte Observer From the Paperback edition.

Kate Baneberry died with a whimper, not a bang. One moment she was alive, an attractive woman married to a successful businessman. The next moment she was dead, and no one had the slightest suspicion until a lawyer got involved–and shook the legal system to its core.... Living on Alabama’s warm, windswept Gulf Coast, Tom McInnes attracts troubling cases and troubled clients. With the help of Dr. Kai-Li Cantil, a gorgeous psychologist with a knack for unraveling other people’s secrets, McInnes pries into Kate’s death and soon knows it was no accident. In a world of multimillion-dollar lawsuits, Kate Baneberry signed her own death warrant when she did her civic duty and served on a jury. Because someone out there has grabbed justice by the throat and won’t let go–until all the right people die.... From the Paperback edition.From Publishers WeeklyStewart's third mystery featuring attorney Tom McInnes (after 2000's Dog Island) again combines the suspense, richly textured plot, picturesque Alabama settings, double-crossing characters and sparkling writing that set his first two books apart from the pack. Here, Sheri Baneberry hires Tom to discover the truth behind the death of her mother, who was serving on a jury when she supposedly died of food poisoning. As Tom and his two investigators dig into the Baneberry case, they immediately run into nightmarish trouble. Tom's menaced by an elusive stranger, violent ex-con Zion "Zybo" Thibbodeaux, one of the most complex, frightening characters in recent mystery fiction. Sheri's father and his business partner try to stop the investigation. Influential politicians try to buy Tom off, wrongly accuse him of murdering another lawyer and threaten him with disbarment. The bright spot is Dr. Kai-Li Cantil, an Auburn University psychology professor, whose research contributes to Tom's case and whose friendship and physical allure boost his morale. Eventually, Tom identifies Mrs. Baneberry's murderer, but can he prove the killer did it? Then the enigmatic Thibbodeaux vanishes, perhaps to reappear in another book. A cast of devious characters, most of them hiding secrets that may or may not help Tom, populate this many-layered plot in which answers just lead to more questions. Stewart throws a curveball in the surprising conclusion that will leave mystery fans eagerly awaiting the fourth in the series. Agent, Sally McMillan. (Jan. 7)attorney to write full time. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalWhen Alabama lawyer Tom McInness (Sins of the Brother, Dog Island) looks into a woman's untimely death from food poisoning while she was on jury duty, he suddenly gains the close attention of some very unsavory types. Jeep sabotage, home intrusion, assault, and warnings not to mention the disappearance of his burly investigator and his highly competent ex-stripper assistant create daily problems. Apparently, a well-known legal firm is somehow engineering the removal of recalcitrant jurors from high-money cases. A tense, nerve-wracking narrative, nonstop action, and a tightly mortared plot keep the pages turning. A good choice.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.