The Rough Cut

Film director Riley Vasher, the narrator of this clever, witty series launch from Corleone (the Simon Fisk thrillers), has moved with her lover, cameraman Brody Quinlan, from New York to Hawaii, where they’ve been living off the inheritance left to Riley by her late mentor, an NYU film teacher. But time and money are running out. Riley is on the eve of 30 and feeling the pressure to embark on her first full-length documentary. The murder of a local weather forecaster provides her with a worthy subject, though she has her misgivings: “This film could be our Titanic. Either the doomed ship, or 1997’s Oscar Winner for Best Picture. And, I admit, it’s disquieting that we won’t know which until the final cut.” The tension builds as the action shifts between the speedy murder investigation and subsequent trial and the period six months after the crime when Riley is editing the film down to its final version. Some may suspect whodunit early on, but plausible alternatives will keep readers guessing. Corleone offers a thoughtful look at how easily the legal system and the media can be manipulated. (Jan.)