Blink of an Eye

pcLyons's first novel, an awkward mix of police procedural, forensic thriller and romance, falls short of the standard set by a Sandra Brown, Lisa Gardner and Heather Graham (all of whom provide blurbs), but its solid narrative shows promise. Dr. Cassandra Hart, who works in the emergency room of Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Medical Center, is dealing with the havoc FX, a new recreational drug, is creating in the community when she discovers FX is being stolen from her own hospital. As she begins to investigate, Hart falls under suspicion-though the more police detective Mickey Drake looks into the case, the more he finds himself convinced of her innocence and attracted to her. Their involvement complicates their chances of solving the crime, especially as drug-induced deaths continue to mount. The author nicely conveys the feel of rust belt Pittsburgh, though the plot twists aren't likely to surprise veteran suspense fans.