THE COLOR OF DEATH

A rogue FBI agent and a sexy gem-cutter, an abundance of pheromones, and the brutal deaths of several jewel couriers--these are the makings of a juicy plot about the theft of seven spectacular sapphires. Alas, it dribbles into disappointment. Carrington MacDuffie's efforts are superior, but even she can't hide the writing flaws. The dialogue strains credibility. The sexy romance between the special agent and the girl overwhelms the plot. Luckily, MacDuffie makes the trite sound true, and she has an impressive vocal range. She is believably masculine, throatily gruff as needed. Her women never simper unless they're supposed to. The story boasts improbable disguises, devious villains, and some absorbing bits about the trade in precious, semiprecious, and worthless stones. MacDuffie makes it worth a listen. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]