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GRACE FALCO by Chris Niles Pan, February 2006 384 pages 6.99GBP ISBN: 0330435248 Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

I enjoyed Chris Niles's early books, featuring a radio reporter. Judging by the accompanying press release. she's been swanning round the world the past few years and is now in the US.

And that's where GRACE FALCO is set. Poppy Adams is a rootless journalist currently in Hong Kong where she has met immaculate-mannered architect Philip Ross. When he returns home to the States, she assumes the affair is over. But a chance assignment to be US correspondent is too good to turn down.

Through Philip she meets his long-standing friend Mitch and his enigmatic wife Grace. When Mitch commits suicide, though, Poppy starts to wonder about Grace who may not be all she seems and who ensnares Philip pretty rapidly.

Niles is a relaxed and fluent writer, and I polished this book off very happily one Sunday afternoon. She's got a nucleus of strong characters to help her along, namely Poppy, private investigator FT Marvel, Mitch's sister Francesca and Philip's father William. Slightly less successful are uptight Philip and Grace herself, who is rather a cypher for the femme fatale.

The book is set in and around New York and at times Niles seems to be trying to hard to anchor the book in the city. Periodically Marvel waxes lyrical about what a wonderful city it is, but I never quite got a strong sense of place.

And I'd be interested to hear an American's take on the book, as at times it felt like what it is -- an outsider writing Yank (I'm not sure whether Niles is British or a Kiwi). I don't claim to be fluent in American English, but there was a heck of a lot of UK English slang tumbling from American mouths.

If that doesn't bother you, you'll no doubt enjoy the book -- and it was only a minor wibble for me. Niles plots adequately and can pace a book well. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing another book featuring Poppy and/or Marvel.

Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, April 2006

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