From Publishers Weekly
In this fifth installment of Griffin's Badge of Honor series, members of Philadelphia's law enforcement community are again faced with the difficult task of protecting their city. Teamed in an uneasy alliance with the Secret Service, Philly's cops must thwart an assassination attempt on the vice president of the United States during his upcoming visit. With only a typewritten note to go on, rookie detective Matthew Payne and head of Special Operations Peter Wohl must race to unearth the wannabe assassin--a petrochemicals market analyst who believes God has commanded him to kill the veep. Although the book is nominally about Payne and Wohl and about their chase, the most visible character here is the police department, or rather the interplay between various factions therein. As with his earlier police novels, Griffin ( Men in Blue ; The Witness ) seldom treads where other authors dare not go. However, this book succeeds because of the authority with which he depicts events and locations. Additionally, the slick but restrained pace at which the story unfolds makes this an enjoyable and gripping read. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A political assassin gets ready to make his move. The police department hasn't a clue, just a single, perfectly typed bomb threat. Worse yet, the police can't even trust their own people.

In a few short days, the corruption of one cop -- and the madness of an assassin -- can blow the whole city sky high! Does this sound familiar? Or is it deja vu all over again?

"A storyteller in the grand tradition." --Tom Clancy

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

Book 7 of Griffin's "Badge of Honor" series continues the saga of the Philadelphia Police Department, focusing once again on the Special Operations unit. Detective Matt Payne is sent to Harrisburg to gather evidence against a narcotics unit that is suspected of stealing from the very people whom they have arrested. Payne is also working with the FBI in its attempt to locate several terrorists who, in 1968, blew up a scientific laboratory, killing 11 people. While walking in the footsteps of law-enforcement officers, Griffin gives a clear picture of what it is like to be a police officer, how police officers think, how politicians bring pressure to bear on their actions, and how the justice system works. Everything Griffin writes immediately goes on the best sellers lists, mainly because he tells such richly detailed stories using a huge, engaging cast of characters who by this time will have become old friends to many readersand this book is no exception. Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., Ohio

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