Jekyll, Alias Hyde: A Variation

Thomas's unsatisfying ``variation'' adds another to the growing list of exploitations of past masters in the mystery-spinning art. The British author borrows Stevenson's characters and invents others, like daughters for the lawyer Utterson, the eldest of whom, Romana, is nearly a match for lustful and dangerous Edward Hyde. Thomas gives a role to Inspector Swain, the object of Romana's bloodthirsty seductions and investigator of weird events in London during the year 1884. Piling on extras that stray from and dilute the original plot, the author wearies rather than excites, even as he alludes to heavy-breathing sex between Romana and Swain. In the end, the adaptation fails to convince the rader that it reveals the truth about The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (Jan.)