Broken In Two
Baker (Stargazer) sets an intriguing opening scene in her new romance mystery. In a remote Arizona canyon, a crazed Hopi woman known only as Tikui overhears two men arguing over stolen Native American treasures and witnesses a brutal murder. FBI Agent Frank Reardon, the lead investigator, immediately visits the victim's sister, Ella Honanie, who runs a trading post. Ella, who is part Navajo and part Hopi, resents Frank's assumption that she is somehow tied to her brother's murder. While she cares for her wayward now-orphaned niece, she attempts to convince Frank that she's innocent. Meanwhile, the investigation forces Frank to revisit the past: his wife was killed several years earlier during an FBI raid on a reservation. Eventually, Frank and Ella team upAand enlist the help of TikuiAto find the killer. As the case grows more complex, so do Frank and Ella's feelings toward each other. While details about the various Indian cultures and their beliefs are interesting and well-researched, ultimately, the murder mystery falls secondary to the romance, leaving the promise of the opening chapter unfulfilled. (Oct.)Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.