A Moment's Indiscretion by Peggy J. Herring
and
An Intimate Ghost by Ellen Hart
Arlene Germain
is a former English teacher who
currently lives in Massachusetts. She is a book reviewer
for The Lambda Book Report
[www.lambdalit.org], the Golden Crown Literary Society newsletter, The Crown,
[www.goldencrown.org], the Midwest Book Review
[www.midwestbookreview.com], and the Just About Write Newsletter
[www.justaboutwrite.com].
Like any reviewer, I am sure that she would like to hear from you—either your thoughts on her review, or to submit a book to her for review in future issues of IGW. You can contact her, here.
 A Moment’s
Indiscretion [A Classic Reprint-2004]by Peggy J. Herring Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com ISBN: 1-931513-59-7 Hardcover $12.95 Pages: 150 Jackie Knovac, an attractive late-thirties advertising executive, has finally decided that she has endured the last of the unfaithful and irrational lovers who have populated her love life of late. She has assiduously erected the necessary emotional barriers with the hope that all interested women will look elsewhere. All proceeds as planned until the beautiful twenty-four year-old Valerie Dennison strides into her office. The electricity between them is undeniable, yet Jackie is hesitant to succumb to the charms of her new assistant. Meanwhile, Jackie’s best friend, Carla, is also involved in an older-younger woman affair, but she is thoroughly enjoying herself, and try as she may, she cannot convince Jackie to just let things happen naturally. Jackie’s life is further complicated by the re-appearance of an unstable and violent ex-lover who simply refuses to let go. Add to this a completely different and mysterious side of Valerie Dennison, a side which is known only to her closest friends, and you have a love story which will test the foundations of true love, convention, and commitment. Peggy J. Herring is a seasoned author, having begun her writing with the now-defunct Naiad Press. This is a reprint of her 1998 romance classic. It bears the trademarks of a Herring novel: likable characters, witty dialogue, unusual situations, and a surprise twist or two. As the title states, A Moment’s Indiscretion, can affect changes in one’s life over which one has little or no control and whose consequences can bring to bear events that can appear both threatening and beneficial. The fine line between love and lust is explored as a result of this lapse in Jackie Knovac’s otherwise cool and dispassionate judgment. Decisions will be made that will alter Jackie’s belief in both herself and her carefully planned future. The plot development is two-fold. Part One, entitled Jackie, tells the story in the first person narrative and would seem to establish the plotline that will carry the reader throughout the novel. However, Part Two, entitled Valerie, appears at an unexpected moment, and thus the plot veers off in another direction which is certain to both please and amaze the reader. It too is told in the first person; thus, the reader is given the opportunity to more fully understand these two main characters, their motivation for their actions, and their complex and evolving personalities. Pacing and continuity carry the story along at a rapid pace. It is truly a book one can read in ninety minutes. This has a drawback as well, though. As with many Bella Books, the novel seems too brief at a mere 150 pages. One wishes the author had expanded the second half to more credibly conclude the narrative. The concluding two or three chapters seemed somewhat rushed and not as fully developed as the rest of the story deserved them to be. A heretofore excellent story idea was diminished by an unfortunately hasty finale. A sequel may not have been indicated or even desired, but the reader does come away with the feeling that certain key elements of the plot received short shrift. To be as believable as Part One, more concrete and specific detail should have been given to this second set of new characters and storyline. Overall, A Moment’s Indiscretion is an enjoyable romantic read. However, if one were to compare Ms. Herring’s latest books, White Lace and Promises [July 2004} and Once More with Feeling [August 2004], one can see that at 226 and 212 pages respectively, there is more significant attention to detail and development. These better represent the author’s ability to spin a thoroughly memorable story. Consequently, do yourself a favor and read all three! |
 An Intimate GhostBy Ellen Hart St. Martin’s Minotaur ISBN: 0-312-31747-6 Hardcover $24.95 307 pages This latest installment of Ellen Hart’s Jane Lawless series is entitled An Intimate Ghost, and it is, perhaps, her most intricately plotted piece to date. Our heroine Jane, restaurateur/sleuth, is confronted with her worst nightmare: people are sick and near death after having eaten her catered wedding meal. Somehow, hallucinogenic mushrooms have “spiced up” the menu, causing the guests to experience a new kind of revelry not usually associated with post-nuptial bliss. Add to this a back-story of murder and kidnapping spanning several decades, and indeed, Jane has a full plate. The novel opens on Halloween night in Cottonwood, Kansas in 1972, when sixteen year-old Jimmy Shore is reluctantly escorting his trick-or-treating eight year-old sister Patsy. Although a hero in his sister’s eyes, Jimmy is involved in some unsavory drug dealings, and one of his associates has come to collect on a debt. Unable to fulfill this obligation only serves to anger Frank. While holding a gun to Jimmy’s head, the intimidating Frank orders his henchman to grab Patsy and throw her into the back of their van. As the van moves off into the night, all Jimmy can hear is Frank’s menacing threat, “If I can’t get my money one way, I’ll get it another.” [page 7] Chapter One transports the reader to Minnesota, and it is thirty-one years later, 2003. Alden Clifford is standing face to face in his high school classroom with a suicidal student, Cullen Hegg. Unable to dissuade the boy from his intended plan, Alden can only manage to lunge halfway toward the boy when Cullen pulls the fatal trigger. Six months later, Alden has hired his friend, Jane Lawless, to cater his son Nick’s wedding, and as they say, the plot thickens. This novel is richly developed with strong characterizations, multi-faceted characters that are not quite what they seem, or are they? Hart has created an intricate series of sub-plots, all of which totally engage the reader. There are several mysteries to be solved here, enigmatic clues abound, and it remains a conundrum throughout most of the story as to who is the true antagonist. And, amidst all this, Jane may have an opportunity to pursue a new love interest. Only time will tell. Jane’s sidekick and comedic foil, Cordelia, has a delicious storyline here. Imagine! Cordelia as a mother figure! Her sister Octavia has virtually “dumped” her twenty-month old daughter on the doorstep to go pursue other matters. After having given the child a slice of Brie, Cordelia wails, “Perfectly good Brie, and she treats it like Play Doo Doo.” [page 83] It is now her mission in life to ensure that her niece be exposed to all the necessities of the cultured life, such as the merits of film noir and the “thea-tahh.” Hart is a master of dialogue, no words wasted, the ideal adjectives, and the appropriate amount of wit, whimsy, and gravity. Her characters speak as real people, fully reflecting the nuances of their personalities. These speeches are crafted and honed to a fine degree as only an experienced and an adept author can achieve. Many themes are touched upon here: drug abuse, teen suicide, child molestation, infidelity, parenting, and murder to name just a few. Certainly, these have been written about before, but Hart approaches them from a fresh point of view and imbues them with a timeliness that is both refreshing and rewarding. There is more food for thought here than merely solving a whodunit. In some ways this novel is a departure from the sometimes formulaic books the author has penned in the past. It is certainly one of, if not, the best in this series thus far. The length of the novel is a definite plus as it affords Hart the opportunity to full explore all the dynamics of plot, conflict, and characterization. I particularly enjoyed the Jimmy Shore storyline because not only does Hart set up an intriguing premise for her novel but also she has an uncanny ability to capture the essence of the teenage characters, from the swaggering bravado to the lost innocence of some young adults who seemingly have no choices in the paths they choose to follow. I enthusiastically recommend An Intimate Ghost not only to her legions of fans but to all discerning readers who want to experience an all too rare quintessential and well-crafted mystery novel by a master storyteller. |