The Crimson Rooms

Set in 1920s London, McMahon's suspenseful story weaves together three seemingly unrelated threads in the life of trailblazing female attorney Evelyn Gifford, as sordid secrets among the city's most influential and respected families come to light. Josephine Bailey does an especially masterful job contrasting the carefree North American speech patterns and boldness of a mysterious Canadian visitor named Meredith with the repressed manner of Evelyn and her relatives. Bailey also nicely captures the indignant determination of young mother Leah Marchant, one of Gifford's down-and-out clients. As the story progresses, keeping track of the characters —particularly the male figures involved in the climactic courtroom showdown—may require some effort, but attentive listeners should find the overall experience both engaging and entertaining. A Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 2). (Apr.)