Just When You Think It Can't Get Deadlier - Another Radical Force Joins the Assault on Targets of Opportunity in the U.S

The Woodlands, TX -- (SBWire) --11/11/2011 --In Targets of Deception, which suspense master Robert K. Tanenbaum called "a fast-paced thriller," we were introduced to CIA agent Jordan Sandor in a story praised by bestselling author Steve Alten as "terrific." Now Sandor is back in Jeffrey S. Stephens's riveting Targets of Opportunity (Gallery Books; August 30, 2011; $24.00), playing for bigger stakes and facing deadlier challenges.

Whisked from his Manhattan townhouse to a gabled CIA safe house in Virginia, Sandor faces off with a top terrorist agent from Iran's Revolutionary Guard. In exchange for protection from his own side, Ahmad Jaber is offering the CIA explosive information: word of a secret, unholy alliance forged among operatives in the Middle East, a ruthless South American, and Kim Jong-II's North Korea. Jaber claims not to know specific details, only that the strike will target the heart of America.

The fanatics stage a stunning diversion in the Caribbean, mercilessly downing a passenger jet and unleashing an assault on a French intelligence installation. Sandor, however, has already moved in a different direction. Leveraging Jaber's information, he assembles a small strike force to penetrate North Korea. The team knows they will not all return, but the intel they gather will be vital to American security.

What they ultimately discover plunges Sandor into a frantic race against time, struggling to defeat a shadowy figure—a master terrorist with a plan of destruction so perfectly disguised that even with the new knowledge he has gathered, Sandor cannot guess where or how he will strike.

As a storm rages in the Gulf of Mexico, word comes that two submarines have penetrated U.S. waters. With the U.S. military hampered by the hurricane, Sandor turns to a few daring U.S. Navy SEALs to duel with the enemy they cannot see…for now they know only that there are two nuclear weapons aimed at a target of opportunity whose destruction would change the world order forever.

Brilliantly conceived, electrifyingly paced, Targets of Opportunity captures a terrifying twenty-first century reality: terrorists can—and will—try as many times as they need to attack the United States. For the brave men and women who defend our country, failure is not an option. Targets of Opportunity will leave every reader hanging on for Jordan Sandor's next step, staying with him through to the end.

AboutThe Author
Jeffrey S. Stephens began the Jordan Sandor series with Targets of Deception, published in 2009 to rave reviews. Born in New York City, he now lives in Greenwich, Connecticut, with this wife, Nancy, not far from their sons Graham and Trevor.

TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY By Jeffrey S. Stephens
Gallery Books; August 30, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4516-2432-8; $24.00

Vince Flynn, #1 NY Times bestselling author: "A ripping good yarn of intrigue."

Publishers Weekly: "In Stephens's solid second Jordan Sandor thriller…the explosive finale will leave readers more than satisfied."

Booklist Online: "Targets of Opportunity is a plot-driven, action-heavy thriller that will appeal to fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor."

Publishers Weekly: "…regular series hero Jordan Sandor goes up against Arab-inspired terrorism. Stephens also involves the North Koreans in a major way, adding a new emphasis and making [TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY] fresh and original."

The Mystery Gazette: "The stupendous second Sandor thriller …is a great action tale…The story line is fast-paced and never slows down…Readers will relish this taut suspense thriller."

Seduced by a Book Review: "I loved the fast pace of the book. The reader gets to see from both perspective what is happening. Just like those hired to conduct the attack, however, we don't get the full picture only pieces until the end. The book is well written…filled with lots of action, twists, and drama this book delivers a most enjoyable read. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses."