Pam McCutcheon, Caught in the Act

Pam McCutcheon, Caught in the Act - Scott Richmond left the charity ball that bored him early only to confront a cheeky, teenage, female cat burglar taking his mother's jewels from the family safe. She cannot escape because his security measures keep thieves in as well as keeping them out. Instead of calling the cops, he asks the feline felon why him? She says his family owes hers; just before his father died, he fired her father as a cost-reduction measure. Since there was no call for valets and he had no pension, Dreyfuss, who just died, left his family impoverished. She needs money to pay for tuition at Juilliard. He lets her leave with the loot, knowing she has no fence.

Not long afterward, Scott catches an older female trying to sneak into his home. Nicole realizes what Chrissie was doing and has come to stop her before she gets into trouble. Scott soon learns that the jewelry he gave to Chrissy are not originals. With Nicole's help, Scott begins making inquiries to learn what happened to the originals. As they work together, they fake an engagement that both wish was real as they have fallen in love, but neither has admitted the truth to the other.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT is a zany, surprisingly sophisticated, screwball comedy reminiscent of the 1930s Hepburn movies. Scott is a terrific foible who plays the clown because that is what is expected by his peers and family from him. Only those who get inside like Nicole realize a fool could never have saved the family as he did. Pam McCutcheon provides an amusing with serious undercoating romantic romp starring two likeable protagonists and a solid support cast.

Harriet Klausner