Pushin’ Up Daisies

Quincy Massey, the detective star of Brown’s bland latest, rolls into Huttig, Ark., intending to find out what happened to the missing Ralph Contiello. Quincy’s instantly taken with Ralph’s sister-in-law, Catherine, and while he knows that she and her two sisters aren’t telling the truth, the attraction can’t be denied, even if she doesn’t want to get too close to the man who could put everyone she cares about in prison. While the investigation is the spur to bring Quincy and Catherine together, it quickly takes a backseat to the stereotypical dance of courtship. The setting—a post-WWI factory town—is nicely done, but the anemic plot suffers from weak dialogue (“I’ve seen it all and nothing surprises me”) and sedate archetype leads. (Apr.)