Edgewater

After her brother, Michael, dies in a kayaking accident, Bailey Coleman assumes the management of his struggling condominium project, Edgewater Place. As she tries to stall the bank's foreclosure, Bailey meets more than she bargained for: Stan Muncie, the banker who wants Bailey out of the way at any price; her brother's vulnerable daughter; and Shep Carroll, the bank's handsome lawyer. Unfortunately, too many of Christofferson's characters are stereotypes (the friendly old neighbor; the wise Indian elder), but the bigger problem is positioning. Although marketed as a ""chiller-thriller,"" to quote the blurb by Ann Rule, it's in fact a romance: the main subplot--Muncie's ties to a violent separatist organization--is barely mentioned, while Bailey's growing feelings for Shep is a constant. Romance readers may appreciate this, but the average thriller fan won't. (Apr.)