The Face Changers

Jane Whitefield: 4

ISBN: 0804115400 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com

A very good continuation in a series brings a plot full of suspense, tension, occasional humor and affection, and even some ethics.

Reviewed by David on June 08, 1998

Genre: Mystery (Suspense, Amerind)

Synopsis: Jane Whitefield, who used to help people on the run disappear before her marriage, is asked by her surgeon husband to help his mentor escape from a frame. Thrown once more into danger, Jane discovers that someone has turned her former hobby into a business—someone skilled, greedy and very ruthless. In this book, Jane has to hide a murder suspect, while trying to uncover a criminal conspiracy, as well as avoiding the police and the FBI.

Full Review: This is a new novel in the excellent series about Jane Whitefield, a Seneca woman who helps the "future murder victims" to escape their pursuers. Jane was introduced in Vanishing Act, and continued her adventures in Dance for the Dead, and Shadow Woman.

All too many good series start out well and go downhill as the author runs out of ideas or energy. I was happy to see that this has not happened to this series. The Face Changers is an excellent addition.

Jane has been married for several months to her childhood friend, the brilliant surgeon Carey McKinnon. True to her promise to him, she stopped the illegal and very dangerous occupation of helping the victims evade their pursuers: battered wifes, abused children, petty criminals.

In this case, when Carey's mentor, one of the best surgeons in the country and an exceptional researcher is framed for murder, Jane's husband asks her to plunge once more into the shadowy world of false trails and new identities to help the mentor escape long enough for the frame to fall apart.

In the process, Jane discovers that in addition to the police, some very efficient organization is determined to kill the elderly doctor before he has a chance to be indicted.

Forced to improvise to protect the wounded surgeon, Jane has to struggle with the FBI, the helpful populace eager to apprehend the escaped murder suspect and the mysterious organization which, in her retirement, apparently took up the vanishing business.

Unfortunately, unlike Jane, the organization is in it for the money, and not too particular whether its clients live or die—as long as they are fleeced first. The new entrepreneurs are distressingly familiar with Jane's methods and suppliers.

Jane's usual competence overlays a core of apprehension, almost despair. It is exacerbated by her concern about her husband, whom the authorities suspect of helping the fugutive escape custody.

The tension builds throughout the novel. The suspense is alleviated at periods by the affectionate relationship between Jane and her husband, poignant during the dark days of 24-hour FBI surveillance and imminent arrests for aiding and abetting a suspect.

The fugutives, as usual, have their own courage and flaws. The villains are a bit flat, but the plot makes up for it. As in the previous novels, the best part is Jane herself—confident, supremely competent, courageous. She breaks laws without breaking honor, and fights for keeps while holding each life precious.

Her fears and doubts, love for her husband, and respect for the victims make her almost superhuman performance palatable and even more impressive.

An excellent novel.

Overall: 7; Plot: 7; Characters: 7.5; Style: 7; World-building: 5; Originality: 6;

ISBN: 0804115400 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com