Pale Moon Rider

In Canham's (The Pride of Lions) latest dashing historical romance, beautiful French refugee Renee d'Anton, who has narrowly escaped the guillotine, lands in almost as great a mess in England. Caught in her uncle's web of scheming, and with her younger brother's life at risk, she reluctantly agrees to help the evil Colonel Roth catch highwayman Tyrone Hart, better known as Captain Starlight. But when she meets the highwayman, Renee gets a better idea: she'll double-cross Roth and escape with the handsome outlaw. Entertaining plot twists follow, enlivened by sharply drawn characters and plenty of sex. If the elements are familiar (echoes of The Scarlet Pimpernel, in particular) and a few of the French phrases are mangled, engrossed readers are unlikely to mind. (Dec.)