74 Seaside Avenue

Macomber’s bestselling multigenerational series returns (following 6 Rainier Drive ), interweaving drama and romance from all corners of fictional Cedar Cove, Wash. The focus this go-round is international chess champion Bobby Polgar and his hairdresser wife, Teri. Veiled threats from a Russian opponent have caused Bobby to drop out of tournament play and keep a close watch over Teri, but she’s more concerned about the antics of her predatory sister, Christie, who is growing ever more distant. As in past volumes, a raft of supporting characters’ subplots run parallel to the leads’, among them widowed sheriff Troy Davis, torn between his daughter’s needs and a budding romance; physician’s assistant Linnette McAfee, leaving town and a broken heart behind; and a love triangle involving Teri’s best friend, Rachel. Fans will pick up the threads easily, and newcomers will find most of the relationships self-explanatory (though a chart of characters would prove helpful). As usual, Macomber’s unique mix of naïveté, soap opera plotting and smalltown charm is virtually guaranteed to please. (Sept.)