A few weeks before President-Elect Edward Carson is to be
inaugurated, his daughter Alli goes missing. Neither prone to
rebellion nor suffering from depression, it is assumed that she has
been kidnapped. But that assumption becomes more puzzling as time
passes with no contact specifying ransom or other demands.

With Alli's life at stake, Carson turns to the only man he believes
can bring her safely home, ATF agent Jack McClure. Dyslexic, words
stymie Jack, but he can work out solutions to problems at a speed
near that of light. McClure is apparently in good company with the
likes of Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci, to name a few
fellow sufferers.

Jack has some allies in the government, not the least of whom is
Carson, but there are some men with overinflated egos in positions
of power who hate Jack's guts. Unless Jack can maneuver around the
resistance and attacks from that faction, rescuing Alli may become
impossible. Fortunately, he has Nina to help him. An agent with
ambition to match her beauty, Nina will do anything --- literally
--- to further her career, and if it means getting close to
McClure, so be it. She, too, has friends in high places. Not the
same high places as Jack's, but they may prove to be helpful
nonetheless.

Despite the myriad barriers and roadblocks, Jack manages to narrow
down the list of suspects to one Ronnie Kray --- at least, that's
what he's calling himself these days. While not dyslexic, Kray is
outstanding in his own way. Driven by a sickness, unafraid of death
and lacking the fear of God, he is an explosive cocktail of
emotions and motivations. And his timing is perfect. The handover
of the reins to the incoming administration leaves the government
vulnerable and at its weakest.

Further complicating Jack's efforts is the outgoing president's
religious zealotry. The man's narrow vision of God and God's plan
for mankind leads the president to make some very bad decisions in
the name of righteousness and pushes the investigation in the wrong
direction. Fortunately, Jack sees the case differently.

As Jack chases clues only he seems to realize the significance of,
a deep dawning horror overcomes him. He has a growing fear that he
knows this kidnapper from long ago --- only he didn't just abduct
his victims back then; he killed them.

To understand how Jack got where he is today, it is necessary to
visit him as a youngster. He grew up in the same neighborhoods he
now fights crime in. From an early age, he learned how to make his
disability an asset. His education came from a streetwise mountain
of a man who stuck to his beliefs despite the personal danger it
placed him in. Now, Jack must use every strength and advantage that
his mentor taught him in order to save Alli.

FIRST DAUGHTER is a lightning fast read with a terrifying plot.
There’s a new twist just about every other page. Don’t
make the mistake of believing you know how it’s going to end.
Lustbader will surprise you. He has an uncanny knack for
formulating ideas with a razor’s edge. A story this timely
will leave you wondering: Could this really happen?