Janni Visman Yellow

Yellow

Janni Visman

Plume, Jul 2006, $13.00

ISBN: 0452287391

Though having a decent client list of rich despondent middle-aged women, aromatherapist Stella never leaves her home as she is agoraphobic. She has established a routine out of her house so that she can live comfortably albeit restrained as she knows one step outside has her panicking. Since she has made herself a virtual prisoner with her being her own warden, she also now fears gas leaks, her latest phobia.

She hires someone to remove anything that uses it and replaces it with safe electricity. While the repairman Ivan completes the job, Stella seduces the hunk. He moves in with the phobic woman that night though she establishes the rules of their arrangement. Stella finds her lifestyle immensely improved as he provides her easier access to the outsiders. However, when he returns to her home one day wearing a gold-plated ID bracelet given to him from his former girlfriend, Stella gets a bit further unhinged. She begins to seek other evidence that Ivan is stepping out on her and finds plenty of evidence in his belongings. She persuades Skye to trail Ivan when he leaves the house even as her routines unravel because she tries to emulate the photo she found amongst his possessions.

YELLOW is a wonderful psychological thriller that takes place over five days in the same locale as the heroine's perfect routines that never deviates (think six sigma but to an infinite level) begin to unravel leading to doubts, accidents, and much more. The key to this finely plotted tale is whether Stella has lost her groove and her grip on reality or is Ivan perhaps abetted by Skye is driving her insane. Fans will read Janni Visman's powerful character driven novel in one stark sitting.

Harriet Klausner