Double ACT

It's impossible for this book to recover from its absurd premise: a makeover artist so skillful she makes the Mission Impossible team look like some kids with paper bags over their heads. After finishing her run as a star in a new TV detective series, Phyllida Moon (last seen in Roundabout) returns to work at the Peter Piper Detective Agency in the little town of Seaminster, England. To investigate possible drug dealing in an amateur acting company, Phyllida transforms herself into a gorgeous, rich American, Sonia Sheridan, and auditions for a play. Transformed again into a mousy spinster, she conducts surveillance on the same group. Even face to face, no one is able to recognize her. In a plea for more credulity from the reader, ""Sonia Sheridan"" is so utterly irresistible that even one of the agency members who knows Phyllida well finds himself falling in love with Sonia. Back to the plot, such as it is: Phyllida discovers that the company's core members share some secret. As she tries to figure this out, she bumps up against another newcomer to the group, a woman with a beautiful voice and a somewhat stiff manner. However, these mysteries are put on the back burner when one of the company members is murdered. When another member attempts to blackmail the murderer, he, naturally, is killed as well. Bland writing and characters, along with a lame trap for the killer at the end, add up to a mystery with little charm and even less suspense. (Sept.)