FICTION

WATCH ME by A.J. Holt. (St. Martins: $22.95, 326 pp.) A. J. Holt’s debut novel is one of those rare thrillers that manages to raise difficult, provocative social questions while keeping its readers eagerly turning the pages.

FBI agent Janet Fletcher is a computer whiz. Her skills have led to the arrest of numerous killers, but unfortunately she is not overly concerned with pesky details like warrants and privacy rights. As punishment for her carelessness, the bureau sends Fletcher to a remote outpost where she discovers, again illegally, a whole network of serial killers.

Holt’s characters work very well, as do the structure and pacing. However, in order to enjoy this book, readers are required to suspend disbelief to an almost ridiculous extent. If one looks at it as an exciting moral question taking place in a parallel universe, then “Watch Me,” is a satisfying novel.