Christina Dodd, Tongue in Chic

Tongue in Chic

Christina Dodd

Signet, February 2007, $7.99

ISBN: 0451220560

On a mission from her grandmother, at midnight, Natalie Meadow Szarvas easily breaks into Waldemar, a Victorian home on the South Carolina coast, searching for the last painting by Isabelle Benjamin done over fifty years ago. However, to her chagrin, not only does she fail to find the masterpiece, the house's new owner Devlin Fitzwilliam arrogantly asks her what she is doing inside his home. She trips and bangs her head on a lion's head that wins the butting contest. Natalie assumes he will call the police; Devlin thinks a doctor is more in order. She says he cannot remember why she is here; he counters her obvious lie by informing her she lives here as his wife.

As each builds their webs of deceit, Natalie wonders why he would declare they are married, while Devlin easily sees her resemblance to the Benjamin masterpiece. Their chess game continues, even as both are falling in love with one another. However, neither fully understands the rules of the game because a lethal grandmaster watches in the shadows, manipulating Natalie and Devlin expecting to win the prize, even if that means killing this "married" couple.

TONGUE IN CHIC lives up to its title as a fun, lighthearted satirical romp that amusingly teases romantic mysteries. Natalie and Devlin are an amiable match as each tries to checkmate the other. Readers will enjoy their antics, while also ironically knowing danger lurks from another interested person. Christina Dodd provides a terrific romantic suspense thriller that her fans will devour in one entertaining sitting.