Laura Caldwell The Rome Affair

The Rome Affair

Laura Caldwell

Mira, Jun 2006, $6.99

ISBN: 0778323099

In Chicago, architect Rachel Blakely struggles with the fact that her plastic surgeon spouse Nick admitted that he cheated on her when he was in California giving a talk. Nick is doing everything he can to regain the trust of his "Golden Girl".

Randall Design sends employee Rachel to Rome on business. Since Nick cannot get away from his work and besides she does not want him with her, she takes her long time best friend Kit Kernaghan with her. In Rome, Rachel meets artist Roberto who shows her a portrait he swears he made over ten years of his fantasy woman. That person is Rachel. When she learns that Nick failed to go to work, she assumes he cheated on her and turns to Roberto for comfort; they share a night of lovemaking.

Not long afterward, Kit begins blackmailing Rachel threatening to tell Nick that his wife cheated on him. Kit's reason for this is that he has no money to pay for her mom's cancer treatment. Rachel is willing to provide for Kit's mom, but is outraged over the extortion attempts. However, she pays anyway to keep the ROME AFFAIR quiet, but soon someone else decides on a more lethal remittance.

This interesting suspense thriller acts at first somewhat more like a marriage in trouble tale starring a desperate male seeking a second chance until the first blackmail spin that twists into something more sinister and climaxes with a shocking final gyration that will stun the audience. No one will see it coming though clues are everywhere as Laura Caldwell lulls her audience with delightful sleight of the hand plot tricks that make sense with every turn. The lead threesome seems real though one must wonder why Rachel failed to recognize the avaricious desires of Kit; still fans will enjoy this superb dark tale.

Harriet Klausner