Evergreen

Set in 19th-century Pennsylvania, Parr's first novel combines romance with social reform in a story so fraught with emotional upheavals that reading it is a rather exhausting experience. Still, skillful plotting and well-realized, engaging characters make it a promising debut. Moriah Lane, wrongly imprisoned for murder, has been carefully documenting the systematic abuse of her fellow female inmates by their jailers so that she can expose the scandal upon her release. Royd Camden, a senator's aide sent to inspect the prison, purports to be concerned about the inmates' plight, but Moriah suspects-quite rightly-that Royd's boss is in league with the warden to cover up any scandal. Royd, who has a murky past of his own, must choose between exposing the truth and protecting his own career, a decision greatly complicated by his memories of the hostile but hauntingly beautiful Moriah. Likewise, Moriah is drawn to Royd, but fears becoming a pawn in his political games. The tensions generated by this setup make for electric interaction between this likable pair, and Parr does a good job of tying all the loose ends of a rather complicated plot into a satisfying resolution. (Feb.)