Random Acts

Smith (Guilt by Silence) proves herself one of Mira's strongest authors, though the plot of her latest woman-in-jeopardy suspense thriller plot involving psycho baby-killers may put off some readers. The murdered Michael Kazarian, enigmatic husband of Laurel Madden, and former lover of Claire Gillespie, looms large in this excellent page-turner. Laurel, a top FBI profiler, and Claire, a star news magazine reporter, are unexpectedly brought together because of the headline-grabbing ""Totnap"" case. Four infants have been kidnapped in Los Angeles, and two bodies recovered. The grisly circumstances make romance difficult, if not quite impossible, but love has a way, and strong, handsome FBI men Dan Sprague and Gar Doucet are hard to resist. Doucet's dark allure does a number on Claire, and the sexual tension there is deliciously palpable. But sexual tension isn't all. Taylor manages to keep the suspense taut as well, as she keeps readers guessing whether ice-queen Laurel murdered her husband with Doucet's help. The publisher compares Smith to John Grisham and in fact, it's a perfectly plausible comparison--though Smith's a better prose stylist. (Oct.)