Edna Buchanan knows firsthand that underneath Miami's glistening facade lies a city torn by violence and muddied by corruption, where every moment a crime is waiting to happen. As a Pulitzer Prize-winning crime reporter, Buchanan has exposed the seamier sides of this sun-drenched paradise, then used her more than twenty years of experience to create a dynamic and deadly Miami that vividly comes alive in each of her novels. Especially when the city is seen through the fiercely intense eyes of a tough newspaperwoman named Britt Montero. The author of eleven books, Buchanan has spent time behind bars -- with two serial killers. She lives in Miami, Florida.
Ah, breathtaking sunsets, warm sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and a floating corpse off Miami Beach. All of these things make for another tremendously entertaining Britt Montero mystery. The floating corpse turns out to be socialite Kaithlin Jordan; her husband, R.J., is currently sitting on death row for "murdering" her ten years ago. Where has she been all these years? Who really murdered her this time and why? Britt, as usual, is hot on the trail of this mysterious story, involving herself with the usual suspects and getting into lots of hot water (and real danger) while pursuing the killer and a front-page byline. The real fun of this action-packed series revolves around Britt herself, a realistic character with insatiable curiosity and a mother, a landlady, pets, lovers, and her numerous Miami News sidekicks. Buchanan's latest offering after Garden of Evil (LJ 11/1/99) won't disappoint. Highly recommended. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/00.] Rebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, IN Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Buchanan has retained an impeccably high standard since turning to fiction with 1990's Nobody Lives Forever, and her eighth mystery featuring Miami News crime reporter Britt Montero is one of the best. Narrated with assurance by Brilliance veteran Burr, the audio production benefits from this mystery's unusually streamlined style. Typically, Britt's adventures feature abundant, fascinating mini-mysteries popping up on the job, diverting her attention from the main case. This time, the mystery is more tightly focused. Some may miss the extra color, but no one will find anything lacking in this riveting, complex and clever thriller. Britt's immediate task is to identify the nude, recently dead body of a beautiful woman that has washed ashore. Once I.D.'d, the mystery grows: she was believed to have been murdered 10 years earlier and her husband has spent a decade on Death Row for the crime. Where was she all those years, and who found and killed her for real this second time? Rich comic relief is provided by the upcoming wedding of Britt's ever-pregnant friend Angel (picture bridesmaid Britt in a salmon-colored dress with a bustle), while emotional hurts surface with the cracking of the normally calm fa?ade of Britt's mother, who holds a key to the mystery. A white-knuckle climax tops this outstanding effort. Simultaneous release with the Morrow hardcover (Forecasts, Mar. 5). (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
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