cover image A PERFECT COVER

A PERFECT COVER

Maureen Tan, . . Silhouette Bombshell, $5.50 (304pp) ISBN 978-0-373-51323-9

Action-romance author Tan's (AKA Jane , etc.) first book for Silhouette's new suspense line, Bombshell, is curiously bereft of action. Half-Vietnamese Lacie Reed works for a U.S. senator, ferreting out bad guys who smuggle illegal immigrants into the country. When her mysteriously wealthy "uncle," Tinh Vu, asks her to come to New Orleans to help solve the murders of three local Vietnamese, her loyalties are divided. In the end, Lacie gives in to Tinh's plea, ignoring the senator's warning that Tinh is a crook. With the help of detective Anthony Beauprix, Lacie goes undercover, disguising herself as a runaway teen and finding employment in a Vietnamese restaurant. Not much happens as Lacie noses around, watching and working, but the novel's sense of foreboding ratchets up nicely when it becomes clear that the murders are part of a larger scheme. The chemistry between Lacie and Beauprix is subdued, but Tan paints an authentic picture of the Vietnamese subculture. Less convincing is Lacie's uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time and to make amazing leaps of logic. On the other hand, readers may expect nothing less of a "Bombshell" heroine. (Sept.)

Forecast: This book is part of a women's action series launched in July targeted at younger readers. Ads have run in Glamour, Elle and Cosmo, but it may be a tough sell, as Silhouette remains synonymous with romance.