Fat Tuesday

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The superstar author of more than two dozen New York Times bestsellers spins an electrifying tale of raging passion and police corruption in New Orleans. It's Mardi Gras week in the French Quarter, a perfect time for narcotics cop Burke Basile to avenge the acquittal of his partner's murderer by kidnapping the defense attorney's sheltered wife. So begins Sandra Brown's riveting story of corruption in the Big Easy. As the crisis reaches a fevered pitch, the line between saint and sinner blurs. Who will find redemption as the clock ticks toward midnight on Fat Tuesday? Amazon.com Review Precise details change with the ages, but you can bet that the first story ever written had something to do with revenge. Sandra Brown continues the tradition with her latest brick of a book, Fat Tuesday . After a gruff 'n' tuff New Orleans narc, Burke Basile, mistakenly blows a hole in his partner's noggin, he vows revenge--not only on the thug who was directly involved, but also on the sleazy kingpin behind it all. And in finest cop-drama tradition, he vows to do it outside the law. Fat Tuesday only begins to cook after Basile turns in his badge and--mixing charm and coercion--enlists various underworld elements in his cause. It's all a little B movie-ish at times, but for every hooker with a heart of gold, there's a fresher character like Gregory, the homosexual hustler who uses his drama degree to Basile's benefit. The villains are bad (can't go wrong with a lawyer), the heroine good, and the hero a big, wounded warrior looking for true love. What's not to like? From Library Journal During a raid on a drug deal, a police officer is mistakenly shot by his partner through circumstances set up by one of the dealers. Burke Basile, a New Orleans detective, tries to handle the guilt over killing his fellow cop and seethes over the acquittal of the man responsible. The successful defense attorney, Pinkie Duvall, is not only criminally involved with the defendant but also with corruption that reaches into the police department. Burke is the dedicated cop who resists corruption and becomes frustrated with the ineffective justice system, almost to the point of giving up. But he is still determined to exact revenge. Jack Garrett's narration captures Burke's cynicism and Pinkie's crafty evil persona. The story follows a standard but popular formula containing romance, action, and suspense. Recommended for the author's fans and those who enjoy this genre.DCatherine Swenson, Norwich Univ., Northfield, VT Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.