"Spy Wednesday," by Steven Sims, 2006. 380 pages. $22.95 paperback. Xlibris Corp.

Ken Perry, collegiate marathon runner, discovers a dark secret from his dead father's past. In the basement of their home in downtown Grand Rapids, Ken finds a secret room, unknown to everyone until his accidental discovery late one night. Unlocking the secrets of the hidden room is about to take him on a dangerous journey.

Such is the come-on for "Spy Wednesday" by Steven Sims, an author whose Michigan running roots are evident.

While his father was alive, he was Ken's best friend. One of their favorite activities was to run road races. That all ended when his father died in what seemed an act of random violence - a drive-by shooting outside Comerica Park after a Detroit Tigers game.

After Ken's discovery, though, that reality comes into question. Was it really random? Or is there a connection to the hidden room? What secret life did his father lead? As Ken sets out to discover the truth, his search for answers draws the attention of some really bad people.

He's a good kid from a good family - solid roots, above-average student, good moral character. He helps his mom without being asked. He's about to start his junior year at Miami of Ohio.

Concentrating on school becomes harder as the mystery of his father's secret life unfolds and dominates his thoughts. Soon Ken's quest for truth becomes all consuming, and the bad guys are right there to try and stop him. Not only he, but his friends and family become involved and vulnerable.

The action takes us on a three-state journey as we move between Grand Rapids, Oxford and Detroit. It reaches its climax at the conclusion of the Detroit Marathon.

Michigan runners will be intrigued by this mystery, partly because we've been to the same races as our hero, but even more because we can't wait to see what happens next. While some of the novel's cloak- and-dagger stuff is over the top in believability, it's fun to read and keeps up the intrigue all the way through. The "how-does-he-ever-get-out-of- this?" factor kept me turning the pages.

Like many stories, the action slows a little while we're being introduced to the necessary characters. And Ken is unbelievably savvy in the ways of the world for a college student.

Still, as the danger and intrigue grow, it becomes a book that's hard to put down. The vicarious thrills in "Spy Wednesday" were intense, partly because as runners we can identify with the protagonist. After all, how many books can you read where the hero is a marathon runner?

It may not go down in history as the great American novel, but it's a fun read and definitely worth the time. If you've run the Detroit Marathon, Grand Rapids Marathon or the River Bank Run, you will be very familiar with the places he talks about.

Steven Sims will be at the Grand Rapids Marathon expo Oct. 28 to sign copies of his book.

Reviewer "Marathon" Don Kern is Grand Rapids Marathon founder and race director, and has finished marathons in all 50 states, seven continents and two planets (including Running Fit's Martian Marathon). His next planned adventure: running marathons on all seven continents within a 35- day span. MR