The Ivory Duchess

A contrived plot, weakly-drawn characters, erratic writing and a story that borders on ludicrous summarizes Parr's latest (after By Fate's Design) romance set in mid-19th-century America. While on tour in Pennsylvania, concert pianist Kate Baxter, known as the Ivory Duchess, escapes from her cruel manager with her valuable, trademark broach. Under the guise of a piano student, she finds refuge with two elderly spinster sisters, and begins a new life as a piano teacher. Philip Massey is a jeweler by trade who leads a double life as Omega, finder of stolen jewelry. He's been hired by Kate's manager to find her and the broach, and bring them back. Since the physical and emotional attraction between Kate and Philip is never fully developed (she seems a saccharine-sweet victim; he, a cold-hearted jerk) and the motivation behind their relationship seems forced, the reader is at a loss as to why they fall in love. Even the ending, which seems to be knitted from another ball of yarn, comes off as improvised and silly. (June)