Book Review: Hemlock Bay

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Hemlock Bay     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Catherine Coulter
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Romantic Suspense   Police Procedural
Series: Lacey Sherlock & Dillon Savich # 6
Putnam, Aug 2001, $24.95, 384 pp.

The husband and wife FBI team of Savich and Sherlock are coming down from the high of apprehending a killer of young children when they learn that Lily Savich Frasier is in the hospital. They arrive in Hemlock Bay, California only to conclude that Lily’s husband and father-in-law are trying to drive her out of her mind so that she commits suicide.

With her brother and his wife at her side, Lily faces down the Frasiers before returning to Washington DC with the eight valuable paintings she inherited from her grandmother, an internationally acclaimed artist. When she shows the pictures to art broker Simon Russo, Lily learns four are forgeries. Simon and Lily travel to Hemlock Bay to confront her in-laws and the local art curator about the scam perpetrated against her. In the meantime romantic sparks fly between Simon and Lily them.

Catherine Coulter has written another superb contemporary suspense novel with just enough romance to make both genres quite pleased with the tale. Savich and Sherlock play critical and prominent roles, but the spotlight shines on Lily and Simon, two strong minded individuals teaming up to insure justice is served. The complex story line moves forward rather quickly as Ms. Coulter has outdone even her usual high quality work with this sure shot best seller.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner