TRICK OF LIGHT

Color-blind photojournalist Kay Farrow, who first appeared in the best-selling Magician's Tale, is a fascinating twist on the hard-boiled private eye. She's tough, worldly, smart--but sweet, and surrounded by the loving, nurturing influences of her Irish father, East Indian lover, martial arts instructor and, in this novel, her late, beloved mentor, Maddy Yamada. In solving the mystery of Maddy's death, Farrow encounters plenty of sordidness, to which she responds, not with the usual posturing and wisecracks but with practicality and sensitivity. With beautiful diction, Debra Monk does yeoman's work with the well-plotted thriller. She has a firm grasp of her heroine's character and a nice feel for atmosphere. The abridgment seems too severe in some places, rendering perfunctory important moments. It is skillful enough, however, to keep the action clear and concise enough to keep the excitement high. Whatever damage it has done to characterization, Monk makes up for with her skill. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]