Silent Sonata

Throughout his life, pianist Devin Bryce has harbored a terrifying secret--ghosts of famed composers have an annoying habit of possessing his hands to play their music through him. During one recital, Devin's performance is ruined when the spirit of Valentin Ressu, an avant-garde composer, takes over. The sonata that emerges is ``Endnote,'' an unpublished work stolen from Ressu's stepdaughter, Suzanne Winslow. Suzanne accuses Devin of the theft. Unable to tell her the truth, Devin realizes he must prove his innocence by letting Ressu's ghost play out--through his hands--the cryptic message hidden in the music, a message that begins with ``Listen, listen to what I have to say'' and ends with an ominous warning to destroy the sonata. Explosive chemistry between Devin and Suzanne enhances their love/hate/distrust relationship as they work together to unravel the code. With too many secondary characters, it's often difficult to keep track of who's who. Still, Nicholas ( Night Vision ) exhibits a fine talent for creating protagonists of great depth and clarity while blending international intrigue and the paranormal with engaging romance. It's a tale destined to live on in the minds of readers long after the last page is turned. (May)