A Marked Man

A serial killer is targeting women who cross the path of Dr. Max Savage, a New Yorker recently transplanted to Toussaint, La., in this uneven novel of romantic suspense from bestseller Cameron. When a woman applying for a job at Max's new clinic goes missing, Max, who was accused and cleared of the murders of two girlfriends, becomes a prime suspect in her disappearance. Max fears Annie Duhon, a tavern manager for whom he has fallen hard, may be the next victim. Annie, still recovering from a brutal rape 10 years earlier, has strange visions, and while she's apprehensive about Max, she can't resist him. Wazoo ("L'Oisseau de Nuit to strangers"), an eccentric psychic who consistently steals the show from the lead characters, warns Annie she's in danger and gives her a charm for protection. As the body count rises, so do the wild, erotic scenes. Cameron (Body of Evidence ) captures the Bayou Teche ambience, but the killer's identity will be obvious to many and the denouement lacks fizz. (Nov.)