Playing with Fire

Set in the Roaring Twenties, when spiritualism was all the rage, this novel starring a fortune teller's daughter has some spine-tingling moments, but readers may be disappointed by the slow-moving plot and hazy explanations of unusual events. The story begins when Greer's mother, Madame Camille, is hired to perform a series of seances for a wealthy widower. Greer is excited at the prospect of spending the summer in Mr. Caldecott's stately mansion overlooking Long Island Sound; however, she does not look forward to sharing the house with her mother's conniving manager, Drake Morley, who wants Greer to help him spice up Madame Camille's act with some cheap gimmicks (""You're going to turn my mother into a fraud. A cheap charlatan!"" the heroine says). While Morley clearly plays the role of the villain, other characters remain enigmatic, if not inconsistent. Madame Camille's relationships with her daughter and her implied string of suitors and/or managers remain sketchily drawn. Mr. Caldecott comes across as an unconvincing mix of wisdom and gullibility. Greer, herself, is also somewhat ambiguous; although gifted with the ability to ""see"" people's auras, she acts surprisingly down-to-earth, relying on logic rather than instinct to outwit the despicable Mr. Morley. Karr's fans may do better sticking with her earlier novels, such as The Great Turkey Walk and Man of the Family. Ages 10-up. (Mar.)