Glass Houses
Grade : D-

I looked forward to reading Glass Houses because I've enjoyed Stella Cameron's work in the past, especially Sheer Pleasures, True Bliss, and Pure Delights. Unfortunately, this book is not in the same class.

The story opens with Aiden Flynn, police detective, in fellow policeman Ryan Hill's apartment. He is there to take care of Ryan's orchids and mail while he is out of town. Aiden doesn't like Ryan, but agrees to help him out because he's envious of Ryan's orchids and feels competitive.

Aiden's computer is on the fritz, so he uses Ryan's and discovers an ongoing e-mail correspondence. Someone named Sam, using Ryan's e-mail address, is writing to a woman in England. At first, Aiden accidentally snoops, but then guiltily continues reading all of the missives. It seems this "Sam" has many of Aiden's characteristics. Wait, it's really Ryan, posing as Aiden! Aiden then decides to write to this British e-mail friend as Sam, even though he knows Ryan is still writing to her using that name.

In England, freelance photographer Olivia FitzDurham is receiving threatening calls and being stalked. She e-mails her friend in New York and discusses what she should do; he writes, "Come to the States." She is not sure that this is a good move. Then somebody breaks into her apartment and searches through her photo files. On an early morning "jelly rollie" run, she watches as a person who looks like her is pushed from a train platform onto the tracks. Olivia is then followed home; she is terrified. A short time later, she is offered money through her letterbox for a set of photos and negatives that she took at a shoot earlier that month. Does she call the police and report any of this? Does she ask her family or friends for help? Does she think to go to a hotel or get lost in the big city of London? No, she slips a set of negatives and photos through the letterbox, takes the money, goes to the airport, and hops a plane to New York to meet a virtual stranger. Wouldn't you?

Aiden, posing as e-mail friend Sam/Ryan, meets Olivia in New York, where they experience an immediate attraction. Although Olivia has just flown across an ocean during a crisis to meet an electronic pen pal, she sees herself as sensible, but comes off as dotty, frumpy, and old-fashioned. Aiden puts her up at friend Vanni's family home and confesses soon thereafter that he is not Sam/Ryan, but wants to help her.

About an hour later, Vanni tells Aiden that their boss has received a message from Ryan accusing Aiden of heading an art-theft ring with Olivia as his accomplice. The boss is looking for Aiden; he wants to press charges because an e-mail is enough proof for him. Vanni says Aiden must take Olivia and leave. Aiden weighs his options: should he talk to his supervisors, should he walk away? He's a clean cop, but why fight this slander? Run and take your pal from England - you won't look guilty!

Character development is slight here, but there's a bevy of one-dimensional villains (nine to be exact). You'll also find a mystery that makes no sense - a valuable painting with another painting covering it happens to be treated with a solvent by fake plumbers during a photo shoot of the house's decor. It's hard to know what to think of a supposedly skilled undercover cop not recognizing Olivia when she goes undercover in a disguise he taught her. And my 11-year-old was able to figure out that Aiden would be knocked out and captured when he strolled out of their motel room without a care - even though he knew they were being followed!

Did I care about the outcome of the story or these characters? Not unless you count hoping for a bomb or fire to kill them all. The main characters were so annoying, I found myself rooting for the bad guys. For example, Olivia repeatedly laments that she has no clothes of her own and she's tired of wearing borrowed things, goes to stores and buys disguises and multiple hats, but no underwear, pants, shirts, socks. She'd get mighty cold in that get-up, I'd imagine.

I didn't understand why the main characters had to fly to England, just to return in 2 days, when they had expressed concern with expenses. Why not just end the story in England? And I was never sure of what the heroine looked like - did she have brown or red hair? Both descriptions are in the story. And why the title Glass Houses? And what was the deal with Vanni?

For answers to these questions and more, do not turn to Glass Houses - you'd have better luck with a Magic 8 Ball.

Reviewed by Other
Grade : D-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : August 19, 2000

Publication Date: 2001

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