Bel Air (Zebra Books)
Against a requisitely glamorous backdrop of Bel Air, Calif., six good, beautiful, wealthy and extraordinarily talented central characters all succeed spectacularly despite tragedy and adversity. Insofar as there is a pivot to this overstuffed story, it is the untimely death of award-winning playwright Peter Dalton's wife, Sara, an heiress to $12 million, and Dalton's conflict with his brother-in-law, Rob, editor of the star-studded Portrait magazine. There's more atmospheric glitz than plot here, though Stone ( Twins ) spices the story line g with dashes of child abuse, drugs, presumed murder, a hostage seizure and unrealized dreams. But while the novel's opening snapshot takes of various protagonists seem promising, the author finally inundates the reader with a host of characters, and reveals too much too soon, dispelling any chances for suspense. Stone displays narrative talent, but fewer characters with greater contrast in their personalities and fates would have been preferable to this razzle-dazzle.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.