Thursday, August 9, 2007

Silver Master-Jayne Castle

Silver Master
Jayne Castle
Jove, Sep 2007, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515143553

On Harmony two centuries since the Curtain closed in Jackson’s Old World Finds, her dust bunny Araminta persuades Celinda Ingram to buy the odd looking red plastic. However, not long after she makes her purchase, Oakes Security specialist Davis Oakes and Cadence City Police Detective Alice Martinez question the Promises, Inc. matchmaker after he found the murdered corpse of thief Alvis Shaw whose body was in the alley outside of Jackson’s Old World Finds. Davis also insists that the item Celinda bought yesterday ay Jackson’s was stolen from his client Mercer Wyatt boss of the Cadence Guild. He demands she return it to him.

Celinda wants nothing to do with Cadence Guild having only bad memories of her dealings with them. Hence she wants to give the relic to Davis so that the Guild stays out of her life; the only problem is Araminta has vanished taking the object with her. Davis sends his dust bunny in pursuit. Meanwhile an unknown adversary tries to kill the matchmaker and the investigator as this foe wants possession of the artifact.
Fans of the amusing Harmony fantasy romances will enjoy the return to Jayne Castle’s creative world in what is more of a detective tale this time. The story line is fast-paced as a reluctant Celinda and a gung ho Davis follow the dust bunny trail while eluding a killer. Celinda makes the tale with her first rule of never get involved with Guild business; even when they owe you they invariably pay off by hurting you, that is if they don’t kill you. Ms. Castle provides a fun lighthearted investigative roman tic romp.

Harriet Klausner