Cirrus@Austlit

'Former army interrogator Jay Ryan is enjoying the quiet life after leaving the military far behind - or so he thinks. Because old habits die hard and he's quickly thrust back into the thick of things when a disgruntled scientist, backed by the Australian security industry, develops a weapon of mass destruction - a hybrid strain of Anthrax - to be used to create panic in a population apathetic to crime prevention.

'Only one batch of Anthrax inoculations can resist the deadly new strain, and it was given to five military interrogators. One of them was Jay Ryan. When the other four disappear, Ryan is the last interrogator left with the antibodies to defeat the deadly Anthrax strain.

'Racing against time and hunted by rogue soldiers, mad scientists and an organisation that operates beyond the law, Ryan digs deep into his past for a chance at a future.

'In this heartstopping thriller, Jay Ryan wages a one-man war against enemies both known and unseen. There's only person he can trust - or can he? Winning the war may have devastating consequences for the last interrogator ...' (Publisher's blurb)

'After Jay Ryan, the Australian Army's most experienced interrogator, ends up on the other side of the table facing a sadistic superior officer, he embarks on a white-knuckle flight from everything and everyone he trusts, pursued by foes who were once friends and with his one clear ally, his father, missing. Enter Sarah Evans, a secret agent assigned to make sure he comes to no harm - or so Jay thinks ...

'According to Greek Mythology, Aphrodite had a wayward eye and a loyal son. When Eros gave Harpocrates a rose to keep quiet about his mother's little indiscretions, the rose became a symbol for secrecy. This is a story Jay Ryan has never heard - until his hand is nailed to a table and a red rose tattooed onto his wrist.

'Jay is an interrogator with a dark past and a tortured soul; he's also the keeper of secrets Israeli spies will kill to get their hands upon. Renowned for his skills, he is used to commanding a certain level of respect amongst his peers. Then one day Jay is drugged, tortured, tattooed and accused of rape. He is forced to reveal information that could further destabilise fragile Middle East relations and plunge the entire region into war. They are secrets he has struggled to keep hidden for four years.

'The Interrogator is a story of betrayal and nightmarish conspiracy firmly rooted in the highest levels of government across international alliances. The story rockets toward a shattering finale that will leave the survivors changed forever. Thriller fans will enjoy the colourful characters, twisting, turning plots and fast action. The authentic military details gives the story a chillingly real context, drawing the reader into Jay's world and not letting us go until the very end.' (From publisher's website: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9781863256612)