Kidnapping of judge’s children propels thriller

Former newsman Brad Parks has enjoyed a successful run with a series of entertaining, well-crafted crime novels whose protagonist is a sharp-witted reporter at a Newark, New Jersey, daily that’s in the midst of the same death throes that grip much of the newspaper industry.

In “Say Nothing,” his latest and most ambitious thriller, Parks has upped his game by creating a new hero who wields a gavel instead of a notepad. Scott Sampson is a respected federal judge in Virginia whose charmed life suddenly becomes a living hell when his 6-yearold twins are abducted while waiting to be picked up from school. It’s a tale that grips the reader from the get-go and doesn’t let up until the final twist in a story that’s filled with surprises.

Faced with chilling threats about the fate of his children, Sampson decides to cooperate with the kidnappers rather than report the crime and mobilize what would surely be an intensive effort by law enforcement to combat a potentially deadly plot targeted against a federal judge.

Sampson’s dilemma appears hopeless before Parks deftly ties up the loose ends and provides the reader with a satisfying conclusion. But the author’s fans won’t find any of the delightful humor that permeated his six previous thrillers. There’s little to laugh about in this tense drama that plays out both in and out of the courtroom.