In Harlequin Intrigue #143 Life Line (ISBN 0-373-22143-6), York introduces us to some of the people who work at the office building whose address is 43 Light Street, most specifically, to Abby, the resident psychologist who falls in love with Steve during the course of that book. In this second novel in the series, Abby and Steve are getting married, and Abby’s friend Jo O’Malley, the widowed PI who also works in the building, is her matron of honor. Steve’s best man is old prep school chum and Christopher Reeve look-alike, Cameron Randolph.

Jo is on edge at a high-society pre-wedding event, due to the fact that she has just heard a news report that Eddie Cahill has escaped from prison. She remembers quite clearly Cahill’s threats toward her when he was sentenced to prison thanks to her detective work and testimony. So it’s no wonder she winds up in the washroom with wine all over her dress. In happens Cam, the nerd in wolf’s clothing inventor who happens to have an ionic stain remover that needs testing.

While the story has some twists that keep it moving, I’m sorry to report that I was disappointed with this second installment in the “43 Light Street” series. There was nothing really wrong, no clumsy writing, bad style, or weak plot. But there was nothing really right about it either, nothing that in the characters that grabbed me as other books by the same author.

Next in the series will be #167 Whispers In The Night ISBN 0-373-22167-3. Let’s hope for better things… ( )