Blue Smoke [on DVD]

Blue Smoke

by Nora Roberts

I grabbed this one off of the DVD display because it featured Alicia Witt, who I had enjoyed as the daughter on the Cybill show back in the late 1990s. This is a traditional romantic suspense drama, with Witt playing Reena Hale, an arson investigator who's been obsessed with the danger and beauty of fire ever since her family's pizzeria was destroyed by an arsonist when she was 11. Two past boyfriends of Reena's have met grisly ends, and Reena is determined to prove that a series of seemingly unconnected fires is all connected to her and her family. Meanwhile, her new next-door neighbor, Bo, proves to be a charming distraction....until a vengeful figure from her past threatens to make Bo a third fatality in Reena's love life. The performances were all above average, especially Witt, who brings a sense of strength laced with vulnerability to Reena. Scott "Quantum Leap" Bakula is solid as Reena's investigative mentor, and the various actors (including Talia Shire) portraying Reena's extended family truly do seem like a family. If you're looking for a light romance with a dark suspenseful edge, I recommend this one. It won't stay with you for long, but it'll entertain you while you're watching it. This is one of a series of Nora Roberts stories adapted simultaneously to DVD. You might want to look for some of the other volumes, like "Carolina Moon", "Montana Sky", "Sanctuary" or "Northern Lights" (to name but a few). -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in print, book-on-cd, and Large Print formats.]

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