They discover that Blaine's true plan is to steal a vial of smallpox, with most of the security busy searching for an imaginary bomb.

Fordyce, convinced that Bill Novak-the Los Alamos Security Director-is corrupt, assists Gideon in breaking into Simon's computer as the two of them drive to DC. Gideon eventually comes to the conclusion that Simon is in on the conspiracy. His reluctant accomplice in this is Alida Blaine, Simon's daughter. Gideon is framed for being a terrorist- incriminating emails are placed on his work computer, and he is forced into hiding.

Fordyce comments how unlikely this is to happen by accident, and concludes it was the result of sabotage.

On their way to Chalker's writers workshop in California, the plane Fordyce is flying suffers a malfunction in both engines, forcing them to crashland. They interview Reed's ex-wife, now a member of a radical cult, his favorite novelist, Simon Blaine, and the members of Chalker's mosque. The pair of them go out west to Los Alamos, and try to check into Chalker's past. Glinn assigns Gideon to help track down the bomb, and Gideon works with an FBI Agent named Stone Fordyce. It also has a map of DC, and a calendar indicating the bomb will detonate in ten day's time. Chalker's hideout seems to have most of the tools necessary to create a nuclear bomb. It is determined that the cause of this was a botched attempt at assembling a dirty bomb. During a search of his apartment, it is discovered that he is highly radioactive. In an event similar to the death of Gideon's father, Chalker is gunned down. Chalker is spouting ravings that he has been irradiated by some conspiracy. Eli Glinn does not seem displeased by Gideon's previous actions, and recruits Gideon to help calm down a colleague of Gideon's at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Reed Chalker, who has gone insane and has taken a family hostage. The book begins immediately after the conclusion of Gideon's Sword. The plot focuses on a nuclear scare, the federal reaction, and Gideon's attempts to unravel the mystery. The book centers around Gideon Crew and is a sequel to Gideon's Sword. The book was released on January 10, 2012, by Grand Central Publishing.

Gideon's Corpse is a thriller novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston