Midnight in Malibu

Rebecca Randolph
Buckley
Genre: 
Suspense-Thriller

Novelist Rachel O'Neil is living in Cornwall writing her current novel.  Maxim Ballenchine, her fiance, is in Moscow waiting patiently while she avoids setting a wedding date. She decides to fly to Montana and then to Malibu to sell long-neglected properties inherited by her parents and to visit her son. Although she misses Maxim she is quite content being on her own.  By chance she meets screen writer Allegra McAdams, and discovers, along with a series of coincidences, a new friendship. After Allegra suffers a violent attack, Rachel shows her support and begins to help unravel the mystery surrounding her mother's death.  Allegra is battling her own feelings for neighbor Connie while trying to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. Both women have found life-long friendships but will they have love also?

 As the reader begins learning about Rachel, it is difficult wading through some of the mundane details. Allegra's story emerges and then both become equally interesting but Alegra's family tragedy tends to initially dominate the readers interest. A mystery with a violent attack against women and particular spiritual beliefs come into play. These issues steer the story into a darker area. Both women are diverse and strong in character, having lived and survived through many of life's challenges. Love seems however to elude them and one does hope for the sadness to end and for love to find them. The romance in this story is minimal but love and emotions are a powerful force and it is certainly teeming with mystery and drama!

 Margaret Faria