Hanging Time

The storms that rage within and among the characters in this second case for New York City detective April Woo (after Burning Time) lift this novel above contrivance to often gripping psychological drama. Woo and her supervisor, Det. Mike Sanchez, are summoned to a Manhattan boutique when the body of a shop assistant, wearing an oversized dress and crudely applied makeup, is found hanging from a chandelier. A threatening message left on the victim's answering machine and a disturbing, but unconvincing, confession send police exploring the victim's acquaintances. However, someone not on their list is also interested in the murder: architect Milicia Honiger-Stanton confides to psychoanalyst Jason Frank that her dangerously unstable sister, Camille, should be reported to the police. Jason, who doesn't realize how disturbed Camille actually is, wonders if Milicia is a ``hysteric'' whose real aim is to get his attention. He sees no reason to contact April (who saved his wife's life in Burning Time) until there is a second boutique murder. As April discovers, whether her goal is solving a crime or earning a promotion, there's no straight path to the truth when information is manipulated and withheld on all sides. Author tour. (Oct.)