"The Panther: a Novel" (Grand Central Publishing), by Nelson DeMille

Nelson DeMille brings back federal agent John Corey to tackle a high-ranking al-Qaida terrorist in his latest thriller, "The Panther."

It's early 2004 and the nation is still reeling from the events of Sept. 11 and the suicide bomb attack on the destroyer USS Cole. Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, receive orders for a job in Yemen. They are promised lucrative job promotions when they return from their posting. The mission requires them to use all their resources to track down a killer known as The Panther. Evidence shows he's responsible for the Cole bombing and scores of other atrocities involving countless civilians.