Illusions

Security expert Delaney Wescott is called in when rock-star-turned-film-idol Lucas Wayne is nearly killed by a former lover, a situation complicated by an anonymous, obsessed fan stalking Lucas and by a grisly crime in which Delaney finds herself the prime suspect. 200,000 first printing. $250,000 ad/promo. Tour.

There's a straightforward, even simplistic element to Dailey's (Notorious, 1996, etc.) follow-the-numbers murder mystery, but the quirky, determined Delaney Wescott--and her romantic pursuits--keep a fire going under the otherwise predictable proceedings. Security expert Delaney is a woman in a man's world--needless to say, she attracts a lot of attention, from the men she works with to the men she is hired to protect. When rock/movie star stud- about-town Lucas Wayne is shot by his ex, Madonna-clone (though this one's career is on a downward spiral) Rina Cole, he hires Delaney, and quickly develops more than a professional interest in her. Rina blames Lucas for her career woes, and she's hot on his tail; to get as far away from her as possible, Delaney, Lucas, and entourage head west, to Lucas's Aspen hideaway, but Rina is soon in pursuit. Once in the mountains, Delaney is confronted not just with Lucas's affections but also with the increasing attentions of her partner, Riley, and the reappearance of her own ex, Jared McCallister, who broke Delaney's heart years before when she found that he had been duplicitous and unfaithful. Jared's other ex-wife, Aspen native and snide art dealer Susan St. Jacque, complicates the situation by getting herself shot and killed--by Delaney, no less, who's under the impression at the time that she's shooting Rina, thus saving Lucas's life and doing her job. Subplots (as if they're needed) include Jared's missing little sister, Delaney's dad's peculiar hijinks, and the problems surrounding Lucas's brain- damaged brother Toby, but the real question comes across loud and clear: Who's going home with Delaney? A lot of plot threads and themes, but too little resonance. Fans will be satisfied, but hardly satiated. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

More romance from Dailey but with a murderous edge. Personal security expert Delaney Wescott is falling for the rock star she has been hired to guard, even as she is accused of murder.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Delaney Wescott, a security expert, is summoned to protect rock star Lucas Wayne after a deranged former lover, singer-actress Rino Cole, tries to shoot him. Protection includes preparing Lucas' home in Aspen, Colorado, for round-the-clock surveillance. While in Aspen, Delaney runs into her former lover, Jared, and is drawn to him even though he betrayed her many years ago. Lucas is also pressuring Delaney for a more intimate relationship, and Delaney's partner Riley is maneuvering to cut both men out of her life. When a shooting at Lucas' estate lands Delaney in jail for murder, the complicated tangle of truth and deception surrounding the case begins to unravel. As Delaney struggles to clear her name and choose the right man for her, persistent investigation leads to a detailed plot to use Delaney as a scapegoat, with ties reaching far into her past. Dailey is the author of more than 90 romance novels; several of her recent ones have been best-sellers. Careful writing and brilliant characterizations create an engrossing read, marred only by the disappearance of a potentially strong plot twist early in the book. Highly recommended. Melanie Duncan