Leslie Archer's "The Girl at the Border"

Leslie Archer is the nom de plume of a New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels.

His new novel, The Girl at the Border, features renowned archaeologist Richard Mathis, who is half a world away on the island of Crete when he learns his daughter, Bella, has gone missing. Within twenty minutes, he’s on his way back to the States. Two days later, he’s dead. Richard’s young assistant, Angela Chase, is devastated by the loss of the man who had become both mentor and friend, and she’s determined to find the missing girl, who seems to have made dangerous connections—and whose lonely childhood so resembles Angela’s own.

Here Archer dreamcasts the leads in an adaptation of the novel:

Ha! This is a good one; always a great thought experiment.

Okay, let’s go for it: for Angela: Natalie Portman.

For Richard: Tom Hardy.

For Bella: Saoirse Ronan.

For Jimmy Self: Forest Whitaker.

My, what a handsome bunch you are! Perfect too.

Visit Leslie Archer's website.

The Page 69 Test: The Girl at the Border.

Writers Read: Leslie Archer.

--Marshal Zeringue