From Library Journal
Attorney-turned-novelist Martini (Undue Influence, LJ 6/15/94) writes about attorney-turned-novelist Abby Chandlis, who stretches the practice of ghost-writing to an extreme and perilous level. Fearful that glamour instead of grammar sells books in today's shallow publishing industry, Chandlis creates Gable Cooper, a strong, handsome, but definitely fictitious alter ego who as ''author'' of her new novel should assure its success. Possessed of these qualities, rugged Jack Jermaine seems ideal for the role. However, his spooky past and dangerous tendencies soon cause Abby to regret the entire scheme. This is a competent thriller, but many readers may find difficulty sympathizing with protagonist Chandlis. Recommended only for comprehensive suspense collections.?John Noel, Tennessee Tech Univ. Lib., Lebanon
From Booklist
In a change of venue from his courtroom settings, Martini embeds his latest mystery in the cynical world of blockbuster-book publishing. The premise: Abby Chandlis discovers that literary agents, hitherto bored by her thriller, perk up when she hides her authorship and attributes it to a male writer. Apparently nothing sells better than a first novel from a hunk with face-by-Fabio. She must tell somebody about her scam, if only to protect her contracts and copyrights, so Abby chooses reliable Morgan Spencer from her Seattle law firm. She also confides in her pal Theresa. While Morgan handles the paperwork, Abby hires a low-IQ beefcake, who then passes on the poseur's role to his brother, Jack Jermaine, an ex^-special forces marine schooled in sabotage and deception. Ducks finally in a row, Abby and Jack go to New York and succesfully hoodwink the agent and the ''Big-F'' publishing company, who then showers Abby with millions and demands for an instant sequel. Abby repairs to St. Croix to work on it, but she becomes terrified by her discoveries about Jack's background and his possible presence at the suspicious murders of Theresa and her ex-husband. Martini deftly conceals the killer until the flaming finale. His satirical skewering of high-octane publishing only increases this book's ''buzz,'' which the real publisher's all-fronts publicity offensive will strive to amplify--and justify--in a 400,000-copy press run. Gilbert Taylor
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