Shadow Zone » (Unabridged, 1 MP3-CD, 10 hrs. 39 min.)

While Iris Johansen's style has evolved over the years, the same skill that made her "one of the leading authors of romance fiction" (Barbara Kemp) has helped establish her reputation in a broader field. As Catherine Coulter noted, "Iris Johansen is a bestselling author for the best reason -- she's a wonderful storyteller."

Deep below the deceptively beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean, guarded by hundreds of dolphins, lie the astonishing remains of a mysterious lost city much like the legendary Atlantis.
While mapping the ancient underwater metropolis of Marinth, marine architect Hannah Bryson makes a shocking discovery: She may have finally uncovered the truth about the once-glorious city’s mysterious demise. Marinth’s sudden disappearance has confounded scientists for years, but now, with the revelation of a key artifact, Hannah realizes that the long-buried city’s explosive secret could have dire consequences for the modern-day world.
But she isn’t the only one who realizes it. The artifact is hijacked, and Hannah stands alone between a power-hungry enemy and widespread destruction. Willing to form whatever alliance is necessary to regain control of this potentially world-changing weapon, Hannah joins forces with Nicholas Kirov, a loose cannon from her past who is now her best hope for survival. Together they will race to unravel Marinth’s last great secret in order to prevent a catastrophe of global proportions. And before the lethal game is over, Hannah will realize that nothing and no one is what she expected, not even the dolphins, who know so much more than anyone could imagine.
Shadow Zone is fast-paced and cutting edge. Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen have raised the bar again in this blood-pumping thrill ride.

Publishers Weekly

This disappointing sequel to the Johansens' Silent Thunder (2008) centers on the ancient city of Marinth, submerged in a massive tsunami 4,000 years ago and lying a quarter mile beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The secret that doomed Marinth's civilization to decline before the killer wave is still present and could in the wrong hands be a threat to hundreds of millions of people. As malevolent armsmerchant Vincent Gadiare and his femme-fatale lover, Anna Devareau, maneuver to get their hands on Marinth's secret, Hannah Bryson, world-class submarine designer, gathers her own legion of experts, including her love interest, enigmatic assassin Nicholas Kirov. Entertaining action scenes compensate in part for two-dimensional characters and trite romances. Informed readers may have trouble with the book's lack of verisimilitude. Submarines behave suspiciously similar to aircraft, and photosynthetic plants thrive in the water well below the photic zone. (July)