Running to Paradise

In her debut, British author Budd shows she has talent but not yet the mastery of the writer's craft. All the characters are forgettable, although the lead, old Charlotte Seymour, supposedly represents glamour unlimited. The narrator, Guy Horton, Char's ex-son-in-law, agrees to act as the woman's ``literary executor'' after her death. Sharing the task (and bed) with Sophia, one of five children from Char's first marriage, Guy studies the woman's diaries from her childhood through life with several lovers and spouses, up to her last moments. Effete, world-weary Guy admits his ``eccentric'' disorientation at losing Char but seems to regard her more from the point of view of a would-be swain than of a fond son-in-law. Moreover, Char's notes turn out to contain few of the sensations promised and nothing relevant to the weak plot. (Apr.)