The Lost Codex

The Works of Alan Jacobson

Alan Jacobson has established a reputation as one of the most insightful suspense/thriller writers of our time. His exhaustive research, coupled with years of unprecedented access to law enforcement agencies, including the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, bring realism and unique characters to his pages. Following are his current, and forthcoming, releases.

False Accusations > Dr. Phillip Madison has everything: wealth, power, and an impeccable reputation. But in the predawn hours of a quiet suburb, the revered orthopedic surgeon is charged with double homicide — a cold-blooded hit-and-run that leaves an innocent couple dead. Blood evidence has brought the police to his door. An eyewitness has placed him at the crime scene, and Madison has no alibi. With his family torn apart, his career forever damaged, no way to prove his innocence and facing life in prison, Madison must find the person who has engineered the case against him. Years after reading it, people still talk about his shocking ending. False Accusations launched Jacobson’s career and became a national bestseller, prompting CNN to call him, “One of the brightest stars in the publishing industry.” Note: Detective Ryan Chandler reprises his role in Spectrum (Karen Vail #6).

The 7th Victim (Karen Vail #1) > Literary giants Nelson DeMille and James Patterson describe Karen Vail, the first female FBI profiler, as “tough, smart, funny, very believable,” and “compelling.” In The 7th Victim, Vail — with a dry sense of humor and a closet full of skeletons — heads up a task force to find the Dead Eyes Killer, who is murdering young women in Virginia … the backyard of the famed FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. The twists and turns that Karen Vail endures in this tense psychological suspense thriller build to a powerful ending no reader will see coming. Named one of the Top 5 Best Books of the Year (Library Journal).

Crush (Karen Vail #2) > In light of the traumatic events of The 7th Victim, FBI Profiler Karen Vail is sent to the Napa Valley for a mandatory vacation — but the Crush Killer has other plans. Vail partners with Inspector Roxxann Dixon to track down the architect of death who crushes his victims’ windpipes and leaves their bodies in wine caves. However, the killer is unlike anything the profiling unit has ever encountered, and Vail’s miscalculations have dire consequences for those she holds dear. Publishers Weekly describes Crush as “addicting” and New York Times bestselling author Steve Martini calls it a thriller that’s “Crisply written and meticulously researched,” and “rocks from the opening page to the jarring conclusion.” (Note: the Crush storyline continues in Velocity.)

Velocity (Karen Vail #3) > A missing detective. A bold serial killer. And evidence that makes FBI profiler Karen Vail question the loyalty of those she has entrusted her life to. In the shocking conclusion to Crush, Karen Vail squares off against foes more dangerous than any she has yet encountered. In the process, shocking personal and professional truths emerge — truths that may be more than Vail can handle. Velocity was named to The Strand Magazine’s Top 10 Best Books for 2010, Suspense Magazine’s Top 4 Best Thrillers of 2010, Library Journal’s Top 5 Best Books of the Year, and the Los Angeles Times’ top picks of the year. Michael Connelly said Velocity is “As relentless as a bullet. Karen Vail is my kind of hero and Alan Jacobson is my kind of writer!”

Inmate 1577 (Karen Vail #4) > When an elderly woman is found raped and murdered, Karen Vail heads west to team up with Inspector Lance Burden and Detective Roxxann Dixon. As they follow the killer’s trail in and around San Francisco, the offender leaves behind clues that ultimately lead them to the most unlikely of places, a mysterious island ripped from city lore whose long-buried, decades-old secrets hold the key to their case: Alcatraz. The Rock. It’s a case that has more twists and turns than the famed Lombard Street. The legendary Clive Cussler calls Inmate 1577 “a powerful thriller, brilliantly conceived and written.” Named one of The Strand Magazine’s Top 10 Best Books of the Year.

No Way Out (Karen Vail #5) > Renowned FBI profiler Karen Vail returns in No Way Out, a high-stakes thriller set in London. When a high profile art gallery is bombed, Vail is dispatched to England to assist with Scotland Yard’s investigation. But what she finds there — a plot to destroy a controversial, recently unearthed 440-year-old manuscript — turns into something much larger, and a whole lot more dangerous, for the UK, the US — and herself. With his trademark spirited dialogue, page-turning scenes, and well drawn characters, National Bestselling author Alan Jacobson (“My kind of writer,” per Michael Connelly) has crafted the thriller of the year. Named a top ten “Best thriller of 2013” by both Suspense Magazine and The Strand Magazine.

Spectrum (Karen Vail #6) > It’s 1995 and the NYPD has just graduated a promising new patrol officer named Karen Vail. During the rookie’s first day on the job, she finds herself at the crime scene of a woman murdered in an unusual manner. As the years pass and more victims are discovered, Vail’s career takes unexpected twists and turns — as does the case that’s come to be known as “Hades.” Now a skilled FBI profiler, will Vail be in a better position to catch the offender? Or will Hades prove to be Karen Vail’s hell on earth? #1 New York Times bestseller Richard North Patterson called Spectrum, “Compelling and crisp … A pleasure to read.”

The Hunted (OPSIG Team Black Novel #1) > How well do you know the one you love? How far would you go to find out? When Lauren Chambers’ husband Michael disappears, her search reveals his hidden past involving the FBI, international assassins — and government secrets that some will go to great lengths to keep hidden. As The Hunted hurtles toward a conclusion mined with turn-on-a-dime twists, no one is who he appears to be and nothing is as it seems. The Hunted introduces the dynamic Department of Defense covert operative Hector DeSantos and FBI Director Douglas Knox, characters who return in future OPSIG Team Black novels, as well as the Karen Vail series (Velocity, No Way Out, and Spectrum).

Hard Target (OPSIG Team Black Novel #2) > An explosion pulverizes the president-elect’s helicopter on Election Night. The group behind the assassination attempt possesses far greater reach than anything the FBI has yet encountered — and a plot so deeply interwoven in the country’s fabric that it threatens to upend America’s political system. But as covert operative Hector DeSantos and FBI Agent Aaron “Uzi” Uziel sort out who is behind the bombings, Uzi’s personal demons not only jeopardize the investigation but may sit at the heart of a tangle of lies that threaten to trigger an international terrorist attack. Lee Child called Hard Target, “Fast, hard, intelligent. A terrific thriller.” Note: FBI Profiler Karen Vail plays a key role in the story.

The Lost Codex (OPSIG Team Black Novel #3) > In a novel Jeffery Deaver called “brilliant,” two ancient biblical documents reveal long-buried secrets that could change the world as we know it. In 930 CE, a revered group of scholars pen the first sanctioned Bible, planting the seed from which other major religions will grow. But in 1953, half the manuscript goes missing while being transported from Syria. Around the same time, in the foothills of the Dead Sea, an ancient scroll is discovered — and promptly stolen. Six decades later, both parchments stand at the heart of a geopolitical battle between foreign governments and radical extremists, threatening the lives of millions. With the American homeland under siege, the president turns to a team of uniquely trained covert operatives that includes FBI profiler Karen Vail, Special Forces veteran Hector DeSantos, and FBI terrorism expert Aaron Uziel. Their mission: find the stolen documents and capture — or kill — those responsible for unleashing a coordinated and unprecedented attack on US soil. Set in Washington, DC, New York, Paris, England, and Israel, The Lost Codex is international historical intrigue at its heart-stopping best.

“Fatal Twist” > The Park Rapist has murdered his first victim — and FBI profiler Karen Vail is on the case. As Vail races through the streets of Washington, DC to chase down a promising lead that may help her catch the killer, a military-trained sniper takes aim at his target, a wealthy businessman’s son. But what brings these two unrelated offenders together is something the nation’s capital has never before experienced. “Fatal Twist” provides a taste of Karen Vail that will whet your appetite.

“Double Take” > NYPD detective Ben Dyer awakens from cancer surgery to find his life turned upside down. His fiancée has disappeared and Dyer, determined to find her, embarks on a journey mined with potholes and startling revelations — revelations that have the potential to forever change his life. “Double Take” introduces NYPD Lieutenant Carmine Russo and Detective Ben Dyer, who return to play significant roles in Spectrum (Karen Vail #6).

More to come > For a peek at recently released Alan Jacobson novels, interviews, reading group guides, and more, visit www.AlanJacobson.com.