Dead Shot

Solomon hits the ground running with this gripping romantic thriller, pitting an obsessed artist against an even more obsessed fan. Still haunted by the 20-year-old murder of her famous fashion model mother, young photographer Gillian Gray is exhibiting a series of controversial self-portraits that show her posed in various grisly deathscapes. Giving her instant celebrity, the photos have also made her the target of conservative community groups, particularly in her hometown of Nashville. To keep her safe while she's home, Gillian's wealthy family contracts a bodyguard, staid ex-cop Ray Pierce. He realizes he may have his work cut out for him when Gillian kicks off her exhibit by challenging her mother's killer, via a crowd of reporters, to "come and get me." Indeed, it isn't long before someone begins sending out a photographic series of his own, recreating Gillian's images using the genuine article—dead women. Solomon's characters are convincing and compelling, especially Gillian, who makes an engaging heroine: smart, willful and profoundly damaged. Solomon's plot is good, suspenseful fun, but her ending is disappointingly off-target. (Mar.)