The audacious new adventure of the At Risk team from Americaas #1 bestselling crime writer. When Patricia Cornwell introduced the quicksilver, cut-to-the-bone style and extraordinary cast of characters of "At Risk," the result was electrifying: a"At Risk" is Cornwellas finest novel. It works in every way possiblea fascinating characters, solid plot, great pacing and expertly crafted prosea ("St. Louis Post-Dispatch"); aAbsolutely the best. Hereas hoping weall see more of Win, Monique, Nana and Sykes in the coming years. They are the best characters to emerge from Cornwellas creative pen since . . . well, Kay Scarpettaa ("The Denver Post"). "At Risk" featured Massachusetts state investigator Win Garano, a shrewd man of mixed-race background and a notinconsiderable chip on his shoulder; District Attorney Monique Lamont, a hard-charging woman with powerful ambitions and a troubling willingness to cut corners; and Garanoas grandmother, who has certain unpredictable talents that you ignore at your peril. And in "The Front," peril is what comes to them all. D.A. Lamont has a special job for Garano. As part of a new public relations campaign about the dangers of declining neighborhoods, sheas sending him to Watertown to acome up with a drama, a and she thinks she knows just the case that will serve. Garano is very skeptical, because he knows that Watertown is also the home base for a loose association of municipal police departments called the FRONT, set up in order that they donat have to be so dependent on the stateamuch to Lamontas anger. He senses a much deeper agenda hereabut he has no idea just how deep it goes. In the days that follow, heall find that Lamontas task, and the places it leads him, will resemble a house of mirrorsaeverywhere he turns, heas not quite sure if what heas seeing is true. aFalsehoods rule, a warns his grandmother. And they can also kill. This is the master writing at the absolute top of her game. You will never guess what lies behind "The Front."