Museum curator Anna Lundgren's first major exhibition is about to open. The dagger in the exhibit of Mayan artifacts has a curse attached to it. Anna herself contends it's only a legend, but others suggest it was because of the curse that her father was killed. Then the dagger disappears, a guard is found dead, and evidence against Anna starts mounting fast.

Florida police detectives Clarence Tebbins and Gil Garcia team up to track down the killer. All the evidence implicates Anna, but Gil and Tebbins soon realize that because of her family's history with the dagger and it's curse she may be the next victim. Gil and Tebbins spend most of the novel trying to figure out how the security system was bypassed but it took Anna's computer whiz sister to finally determine how it was done.

Gil and Anna are well-developed characters but their relationship doesn't progress much thoughout the book, at least till the end. The criminal investigation and the romance procede at the same pace...slow...prodding and methodical.

I've always been a big fan of Ms. Lee, her characterizations are usually wonderful and this book is no exception. From Tebbins to Trina you get to know the characters and they are all great but I felt the plot could have used a faster pace with more info on police procedure and more sexual tension between Gil and Anna.

VERY GOOD

Jo Anderson

A.L.R. Reviews