Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into her flight on the morning of January 28, 1986-now, over twenty years later, no one questions the investigation that found fault in a defective O ring joining the rocket segments. But, was the disaster caused by a simple case of negligence or the masterful plan of a KGB officer? Almost twenty years after the explosion, along the gold coast of Florida, a Russian immigrant dies of a single gunshot wound to the head. This suspicious death takes Investigator Dan Gill and Air Force Sergeant Laura Smith on a wild journey that leads to unimaginable treachery. Smith, beautiful and feisty, must confront secrets in her family that may connect her to the Challenger disaster. Out to stop them are former KGB officer Pavel Volkova and the remnants of his Spetnaz trained sleeper agents now living in America. SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY reveals the destructive force of international espionage while providing a thrill that builds with each page.