Southern Cross

This breezy tale about Cincinnati journalist Rick Decker, seen last in Hidden City, is long on atmosphere but short on plot. Cincinnati's richest resident refuses to comment on the disappearance of his controversial son Justin, who has gone missing while traveling on the windjammer Southern Cross in the British Virgin Islands. Rick's editor smells a juicy story and sends Rick and black ace photojournalist Rebo Johnson to the Caribbean undercover. The guys scope out the singles crowd on board the Southern Cross, with Rebo shooting everyone in sight-until their cabin is ransacked and their equipment trashed. Justin's cruisemate, supermodel Danielle, parties on, sometimes with Rebo, under the watchful eye of fashion photographer and sometime companion Ellen; meanwhile Rick strikes up acquaintanceship with purported phys-ed teacher Leslie. Then Danielle disappears. Leslie proves a kinky ally while a cabin search bares evidence of blackmail and revenge behind the pair's disappearance. DeBrosse paints real characters in near tactile settings for a satisfying, if lightweight, read with a quiet twist at the end. (Oct.)