Phantom in Time
Bogged down with Gay Nineties descriptions, tired characterizations and wearisome dialogue, Riley's latest time-travel romance (after Timeswept Bride) revolves around stage-shy Bella De La Rosa, a modern-day opera singer who spirals back to 1896. There she confronts the living version of tenor Jacques LeFevre, whose ghost has been haunting the opera house since his murder. Bella accepts her unexpected trip to the 19th century without a peep of protest, figuring she's there to find LeFevre's murderer and will eventually be returned to her own time. What she doesn't know is that her destiny lies in the past, singing as a diva with LeFevre. But she can be successful only if she overcomes her fear of the theater and saves the man she loves. Flaws abound in this tale, but the coup de grace comes with an ending so implausible as to border on the ridiculous.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.