Fade to Black

Fewer beautiful people and more action enhance the pleasures offered by sailing expert Gibbs in this second Harbormaster story, following Shot in the Dark (1996). Santa Barbara (Acting) Harbormaster Neal Donahoe and Coast Guard Lieutenant Tory Lennox find their mutual attraction as strong as ever and their professional obligations equally demanding. Santa Barbara Harbor is a multi-jurisdictional hodgepodge shared by the SBPD, the Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard, giving rise to conflicts and jealousies and plenty of opportunities for cooperation or backstabbing. When the ragtag, motherless family of religious fanatic Erling Halvorsen takes up residence aboard the docked and decrepit fishing vessel Prophet Jonah, Lennox's's attempt to protect Halvorsen's frightened brood places her in grave danger. At the same time, a local gallery owner's minor art scam turns deadly when a scheme to boost the value of harbor artist Wilbur Andreas's paintings attracts deadlier sharks--who in turn capture Donahoe's attention. Gibbs writes with ease and confidence, whether describing the harbor world of work and pleasure boats, probing the lifestyles of the local elite or depicting the poor and homeless who seek refuge at Fools' Anchorage. The two plots dovetail nicely. Gibbs's nautical knowledge provides a solidly entertaining underpinning to this smooth and swift-sailing adventure story. (July)