The Circle of Thirteen    by William Petrocelli Order:  USA  Can Turner, 2013 (2013) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch This marks the literary debut of San Francisco independent bookstore (Book Passage) owner Bill Petrocelli as a mystery writer. Set in the future (2082), the novel begins with a blast that rocks the new United Nations building in New York City. An international terrorist group, thought to be disbanded, is apparently responsible for the attack. The organization's misogynistic leader has been linked to several vicious attacks on women and now seems to have a group called Women of Peace in his sights. Women of Peace is an organization of thirteen women who are determined to do whatever it takes to bring about world peace. U.N. Security Director Julia Moro is tasked with uncovering the plot and disrupting the terrorists so the women can get on with their plans to save the world. The narrative shifts back and forth in time as Moro's investigation fills in the gaps that explain how previous events that date back half a century play a role in what happens on this fateful day. There have been plenty of stories about a band of men who come together to try to save the world from all sorts of maladies, but there aren't too many tales of a selfless band of women who are given this task. Petrocelli has just expanded this short list and it seems a safe bet that he will probably be adding to it in the future. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews