REDEMPTION

Frances Pratt, retired criminal investigator, has recently suffered the loss of her stepmother. She attempts to escape her sorrow by way of attending a cousin's wedding amid the clapboard mansions in a lovely, but snooty, New England town. Vivienne Benesch's characterization of Frances Pratt reveals an intelligent, intuitive sleuth unable to escape mystery and tragedy. When Pratt's cousin is found hung on her wedding day, Benesch intensifies the pace as the plot focuses on every detail of the snobbish inhabitants of this upscale haven and all their possible motives. She portrays the characters as quirky, self-obsessed, and private, making the suspense all the more intriguing. B.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]