The Color of Death

May 24, 2004
The theft of seven extraordinary sapphires sparks a rash of murders in this fast-moving romantic thriller by Lowell (Die in Plain Sight
; Running Scared
). Kate Chandler, 33, is the cutter who shapes the stones for a wealthy Florida collector; her half-brother, Lee, is the courier she chooses to deliver them. Lee is more than careful, but an hour from his destination, the gems are stolen, and he disappears. Five months later, alleging that Lee stole the gems and decamped with a blonde to a Caribbean hideaway, the FBI closes the case. Kate and Lee's lover, Norm, know better, and Kate determines to discover the truth on her own. At a gem show in Scottsdale, she sees one of the precious sapphires at a shady dealer's booth and settles "into the odious business of flirting with a man she'd rather have scraped off her shoes," which leads to a confrontation with maverick FBI agent Sam Groves. In due course, they become allies and consequently, Groves, already unpopular with Bureau brass, finds his job at stake. The reader acquires a lot of esoteric information about gems, the principals share a sense of humor and eventually a bed; when the shady dealer and his wife are mercilessly murdered, Kate receives a death threat and the circle of suspects connected to her brother's disappearance widens. This is a diverting read for thriller fans. Agent, Dominick Abel.

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

February 15, 2004
Jeweler Kate Chandler is slated to cut the fabulous Seven Sins cluster of sapphires, but then comes murder. One-day laydown: June 15.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.