Island Girl

Bonnie Indermill, seen last in Good Night, Sweet Prince , is a permanent temp, a collector of titles that begin with the word ``assistant.'' When asked to fill in briefly for a friend as assistant fitness counselor at a Bahamian resort, Bonnie sees an opportunity to escape the gloomy New York winter. Unfortunately, on Flamingo Island she finds not paradise but a shabby hotel nearing bankruptcy, its unpaid staff in a labor slowdown; an island-wide crime wave; and a promiscuous, self-absorbed roommate from Australia named Leslie who won't stop talking. The second night, on an errand originally assigned to Leslie, Bonnie is attacked on the beach. When Leslie dies on a scuba dive the next evening, Bonnie suspects foul play. While the plot, involving an ornithological research station, shadowy Texas moneymen and a hint of island voodoo, is somewhat mechanical and obvious, Berry evocatively paints the tawdry scene at a down-at-the-heels resort, and Bonnie is an engaging detective. This is a pleasant diversion for a cold winter's night when the reader, like Bonnie, might dream of warmer climes. (Dec. )