The Suspect

Robert Duran, a private eye with his own business in recovering lost art, has been hired to locate a stolen van Gogh. Anona Stack, a famous painter and Duran's wife of six years, has two children by the cruel and cunning Jason Lark. When Jason reappears in Anona's life, all hell breaks loose: There is a fire in her studio; Duran is roughed up; worst of all, Anona is kidnapped by an ex-con with a deadly grudge--and the police suspect Robert. Kennealy endows a standard thriller plot with exceptional characterization; Jason, for example, is a truly despicable villain without being a caricature. Kennealy's characters, combined with his seasoned ability to weave several plot elements into a smooth whole, make his latest effort stand out in the crowded thriller genre. (Feb.)