Hostile Witness

December 21, 2015
This unusual series launch combines cozy prose with a thriller plot. Kate Ford, a cyber security expert at Almador Corporation in Virginia, is assigned a new project for a robotics firm, Robotix. A routine security check of Robotix’s website turns into a nightmare, forcing a lockdown at Almador’s headquarters. When Kate suddenly finds herself on leave after being booted from her office and escorted from the premises, she takes an interest in a high-profile kidnapping trial with ties to Almador owner Richard Hamilton. Once attractive cop Tom Abbot enters the picture, Kate, who was burned by a bad marriage and hasn’t been involved with anyone for years, is inexorably drawn into the case, finding that far too much about the crime and its aftermath are shrouded in mystery. Adams provides a tantalizing glimpse into a murky world where cybercrime, politics, and murder go hand in hand. Agent: Meredith Bernstein, Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.

December 15, 2015
A detail-oriented computer-security investigator put on unpaid leave turns the tables to investigate her former employer. For as long as she can remember, Kate Ford has known she wasn't like other people; she notices small details that don't stand out to anyone else. Though her talent makes her different, what really sets her apart are its side effects. Kate frequently becomes overwhelmed by stimuli. Since her first episode, in which everything seemed to turn lavender, Kate has been repeatedly hospitalized and diagnosed with everything from autism to epilepsy, though no doctor has been able to cure her symptoms. She's convinced that her medical workers suspect her of malingering, a suspicion shared by her young and gifted teenage son, Jack. Kate knows her feelings are real, but Jack just wants her to pull it together, especially now that Kate's father, Frank, has been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's. Kate's sharp eye makes her an asset to Almador Corporation in her role as a computer-security consultant. But her interest in a new assignment for the Robotix company gets a little too detail-focused, and she's put on an unpaid leave from her job. Could it be there's something to hide? Kate puts her newfound spare time into learning about a local trial involving the kidnapping of Chan Hamilton, who just happens to be the daughter of Kate's boss, Richard. She's determined to learn what she can about the story. Fortunately, a bit of luck and access to social networks help her out. Her biggest adversary, in fact, may be her own body. Kate's personal troubles are as poignant as her crime-solving skills are far-fetched.

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February 1, 2016

After single mother Kate Ford is suspended from her job at a secretive computer security firm for specious reasons, she gets involved with a trial that revolves around the kidnapping of Chan, the daughter of her firm's CEO. It becomes clear to Kate that the man accused of the crime, Kevin Ozgo, is being railroaded. But why? And how does it connect to the death of Chan's boyfriend in Afghanistan? VERDICT Debut author Leigh introduces a feisty tech-savvy protagonist with unusual medical problems (she's extremely sensitive to sensory stimuli) and family troubles. Government corruption cases are always complicated. Aficionados of conspiracy plots will enjoy this launch.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
A computer-security expert at Almador Corporation, Kate Ford finds the timing of her recent suspension suspicious. Everyone at work is anxiously awaiting the trial of Kevin Ozgo, the man accused of kidnapping the daughter of the company's owner. The day the trial starts, Kate begins a project for a client called Robotix and within hours is put on administrative leave. She spends her time off attending Ozgo's trial, where she befriends police officer Tom Abbot. At home, she worries about her temporary unemployment, genius teenage son, a mystifying medical condition that plagues her with hyper-awareness and occasional seizures, and her father's recent dementia diagnosis. Ultimately, it's her father's memories of his own military experience that help Kate and Abbot discover that Ozgo's deployment in Iraq may be the key to proving his innocence. Kate's backstory feels a little overpacked, but the strong pacing makes this an engaging debut.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)