After three fantasies (The Fifth Ring
, etc.), Graham ventures into thriller waters with mixed results. Katherine Adams, an Atlanta lawyer dealing in domestic cases, sees herself as "damaged goods" because as a teenager she was abducted by a madman who mounted his female victims' heads on his "trophy room" wall. Now she's off on a cruise to Europe with her best pal and old college roommate, Beth Doliver. They board the Ocean Majestic
in Miami along with biogenetics professor Ellis Stephens, who's just made a discovery that promises major medical miracles and vast personal wealth. Belowdecks, a couple of Arab terrorists skulk about setting explosives. At times, the language appears aimed at a romance audience: "The amused look that usually played at the corners of his mouth dropped away, leaving only a gentle caring man in its place." On the plus side, Graham writes a good courtroom scene and the sinking of the Majestic
is exciting. Hopefully, he'll rely less on genre clichés in his next outing. (June)
