TRUSTMATE by Holly Damalas $21.95 Bandit Books, Inc.

Ever gone to a real estate open house? Most of us have. Even if we weren't in the market for a house, the temptation to see what your neighbor's house looks like on the inside is one that's hard to pass up. Ever think about that agent who's there by herself, as stranger after stranger comes through the door? This is the premise that first-time author Holly Damalas has used for one of the most gripping of the serial murders in her book Trustmate. Holly, a former real estate broker and mortgage banker has used her knowledge of the business to craft a thriller whose pace and characters keep you reading to see what happens next.

Hailey Longshore is a loan officer, whose stardom in the mortgage banking world is slipping since her marriage to Sam. Sam, who owns Longshore Marine Shop and spends as much time as possible "messing around with boats", is a mixture of sex appeal and puzzling moods. Perhaps his feelings about the death of his first wife are unresolved, and Hailey is keeping a record of his mood swings for her shrink, Dr. Segall. A string of murders later, and the trail, developed by Hailey's best friend Perry and his lover, Detective Timothy Koch seems to be pointing towards Sam. Did he or didn't he? If not he, who?

Part of the fun of this is all the local color. Waterways, restaurants, beaches and bridges of the Virginia Beach scene are an integral part of the story. For those of us who live here the familiarity of the locale gives the plot authenticity. While reading the book I had a tendency to look over my shoulder and wonder about that group two tables over at Rudee's or the couples heading out on the cabin cruiser across Broad Bay. Was everything just what it seemed?

Damalas has chosen to sidestep the long and frustrating process of submission and rejection common in the publishing world. She has published the book herself and has energetically marketed it in Virginia Beach, including many of those same restaurants named in her story. The book, unfortunately, shows the lack of the editorial process. Copy editing errors abound, and without an editor to point out the weakness of including not-so-hot poetry, some inexperience is apparent. The strength of the plot and characterization tilts the book to the plus side as you are caught up in who-done-it and what's-going-to-happen-next. There's plenty to make it a fun read. My hope is that Damalas will continue to write and can find an editor to strengthen her emerging talent. Then we can say we read her when!

by Joan Beall, Riverbend Books

Visions