cover image Coriander

Coriander

Barbara Victor. Dutton Books, $22 (301pp) ISBN 978-1-55611-353-6

Victor's fourth modern romance (after Friends, Lovers, Enemies ) is an entertaining tale of emotional betrayal and political intrigue. Beautiful Coriander Wyatt, a trauma surgeon in a Brooklyn hospital, is devastated when her husband, prestigious bank president Danny Vidal, dies in an airplane explosion. But a further shock awaits her: Adam Singer, special investigator for the Manhattan DA's office, reveals that Danny's arrest for bank fraud had been imminent. Coriander's love for her Argentine-born husband had spanned a decade and survived his involvement in the revolutionary Montenero movement and his subsequent disappearance at the hands of the Argentine government. Her next discovery--that he has left her a bequest of $1 million cash--compels Coriander to question the truth of the life they led together after he resurfaced in New York, when he vowed to abandon his former political connections. Victor adroitly exposes Danny's past through a series of flashbacks, at the same time developing Coriander's attraction to Adam. Though the generally well-paced narrative is enhanced by Victor's skill for characterization, the ending is disappointing and holds few surprises. (Apr. )