[Joanne Gravitz 02] • The Calendar

Silicon Valley insider Romina Wilcox brings back newly promoted Critical Security Department manager Joanne Gravitz, architect of OmegaSoft's acclaimed cybersecurity software Cold Eyes. Last seen in 2007's Cold Eyes, a high-tech thriller of the same name, Gravitz is once again caught up in a nail-biting suspense that has her pegged as the target of a depraved terrorist while she exposes the plight of cybersecurity in today's high-tech world.

The bombing of an entire annex to OmegaSoft-meant to blow up all the movers and doers in the IT division about to gather there for a celebration-is the first in a series of dire warnings from a sinister electronic snoop who intends to prevent OmegaSoft from being awarded a long-term, multi-million dollar contract with the Federal Homeland Security Department (HSD). Omega officers are concerned and rightly so. They want and need that contract. But why should the government and other clients worldwide have confidence in their product if they can't protect their own facility and intellectual property? With everyone in the company on edge, they fasten their hopes on Gravitz, the one who can best convince the HSD search committee that Cold Eyes is the premier product on the market. Will the bombing put them out of the competition? Is the terrorist a radical Jihadist Muslim faction, a resentful rival corporation, or a seriously vengeful insider?

Wracked by fear and sustained only by her determination to fulfill her responsibilities to the company, by finishing version 2 of Cold Eyes in time to capture the coveted government contract, Gravitz secretly sets out to learn the identity of the deranged enemy. While the local police and the FBI work to solve the bombing and subsequent murders, she circumvents their warnings and conducts her own investigation. She needs help, but whom should she trust? With every step she takes toward the truth, she puts herself-and those she respects and loves most-in mortal danger. She has only a few days to unearth the identity of the maniac who, unfortunately, has perfect knowledge of her every move via the company's intranet calendar. Her every move is being monitored, but unless she continues to use the calendar, the company brass and her colleagues will learn about her investigation.

In a high-stakes struggle to beat the clock, she realizes the ruthless fanatic is a genius black hat hacker who uses email and cellphone spoofs and Internet catch sites to hide his identity. In a terrifying confrontation with the adversary, her life hangs in the balance. The pieces of the puzzle have finally fallen into place, but who will know, if she can't make her shocking revelation?