Fetish

Australian author Moss makes her U.S. debut with a steamy fast-paced romantic thriller, set in the not so glamorous world of international, middle-income fashion modeling. Struggling Canadian model Makedde Vanderwall has come to Sydney, Australia, to visit her friend and fellow model Catherine Gerber. But Catherine doesn't answer her phone, and soon Mak stumbles on her friend's mutilated body. A serial killer known as the "Stiletto Murderer" next targets Mak, who spends the rest of the novel trying to help solve Catherine's murder while avoiding her own. Moss, a former model, writes fluidly, carefully laying out the pieces of the puzzle as she builds to the twist ending. When the strong and independent Mak becomes so smitten with the handsome detective assigned to the case that she allows her heart to rule her mind and jeopardize the investigation, some readers may cavil. Still, this marks the arrival of a bold new female voice for American crime-fiction fans. (Dec.)