A Rare Groove

Atlanta voice-over specialist Simone St. Claire, 28, goes to Jamaica for her best friend's wedding without her boyfriend, boxer Kevin Johnson. There, she meets devastatingly attractive Maxwell Harper, brother of the bride's new husband, who's from Jamaica but lives in Toronto, and whose connection to his family is tenuous. The two keep in touch, and Simone quickly breaks things off with Kevin to take a trip to Toronto. As she does, her best friend Natasha is murdered. The murder investigation (did Kevin do it?) and the obstacles surrounding the lovers aren't half as interesting as the drama surrounding the conflict in Maxwell's own family, making the plot a split decision. But Shaw's settings are unusually rich, lingering over homes and their families with a warmth that carries one through. (July)