With the only person he feels he can trust, police detective Claudia Salazar, missing, Whit must make connections and outthink a group of the most dangerous and greedy criminals he has yet to run across. Soon Whit realizes he can't trust even those closest to him before a final showdown that occurs between Whit and the last man standing.

Black Jack Point is a complex novel with many characters. The characters are so carefully laid out that some of the tension is lost as suspicion is put on each character and readers begin to wonder who they can take at face value and who has a deeper, even more sinister motive. The historical angle of the pirates' treasure provides an added dimension and gives a uniform structure to the plot. While there are many twists and turns, it is easy to guess that everyone has an ulterior motive and even what some of the motives are.

Even though the book is crammed with authentic details, the pace is fairly brisk and the plot is not bogged down. Keeping the characters, motives and relationships straight may cause readers to stop and reread certain areas to make sure nothing is missed. But overall, Black Jack Point is an engrossing novel.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry