FORESTS OF THE NIGHT

Possessing an almost supernatural ability to read people's facial expressions and body language, Florida police officer Charlotte Monroe has a distinct advantage over the criminals she faces on the streets. Though the FBI wants her to join a task force composed of others with a similar talent, Monroe wants nothing to do with the organization. That changes, however, when she comes home to find her husband, a defense attorney, talking to Native American Jacob Panther, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives. When Panther escapes and Monroe's schizophrenic daughter, Gracey, follows him, Monroe begins working with the FBI to recover her missing child. Merlington adeptly brings these characters to life, from the gruff-talking FBI agents to the deliberate speech of Hall's Native American characters. As Monroe, she alternates from professional police officer to frenzied mother, but it is her portrayal of Gracey that stands out; she convincingly expresses Gracey's schizophrenic highs and lows, as well as the multitude of voices echoing in her head. Based on the St. Martin's Minotaur hardcover (Forecasts, Oct. 25, 2004). (Dec. 2004)