Ellen Hart, Night Vision

Night Vision

Ellen Hart

St. Martin's, November 2006, $24.95

ISBN 0312349440

Academy Award and Global Award winning actress Joanna Kasimir fled Hollywood for the safety of the remote Idaho Panhandle to escape the stalking of her former husband Gordon, who served time for his persecuting her. Now, several years later she is flying to her hometown Minneapolis to perform Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Allen Grimby Repertory Theatre in St. Paul at the request of her close friend Cordelia Thorn, but fears that Gordon is back with a vengeance.

Joanna asks another friend, restaurateur Jane Lawless to trail Gordon, which she agrees to do so. Jane's friend, Joanna's brother David Carson is hiding something from her, his sister, and his lover Diego Veras that worries the trio, as that is out of character for him, especially when Gordon is found dead, with David appearing as the prime suspect. Jane investigates while the cops concentrate on pinning the homicide on the ex brother-in-law.

This is a fine Twin Cities amateur sleuth tale in which the stalking and subsequent murder investigation takes center stage. The fast-paced storyline is cleverly devised so that readers will consider either David or a crazed fan committed the homicide. Though long time fans will be heart-broken that Jane's long-distance lover Kenzie makes almost no appearances, NIGHT VISION is an entertaining whodunit.