The Deadly Caress is the first novel by Australian author,
O.N.Stefan. When celebrated Australian nature photographer, Amanda Blake
travels to California
to meet Jean Campbell, the birth mother she has only just learned of, she is
apprehensive but hopeful. She wants to find out why Jean, widow of Campbell-
Beare Pharmaceuticals founder, Murray Campbell, gave her up for adoption, and
she hopes she will finally form a real mother-daughter relationship. What she
is certainly not expecting is a twin brother and a step-brother. Her twin,
Brian, seems a stereotypical Aussie male: friendly, laconic and rather casual.
Her step-brother, Dorian, is prickly and antagonistic. But before she has more
than a few hours to connect with the real mother, Jean is found dead in her
ensuite bathroom. The police suspect murder and the Campbell family lawyer, Lionel Cohen reveals
that Jean was preparing a new will that left the bulk of the estate to her
daughter. Amanda finds herself in a houseful of strangers, all of whom seem to
have their own agenda, and is unsure who she can trust. A clue that the police
seem uninterested in following up sends Amanda back to Australia to
see if she can find her mother’s killer. But this is a move that puts her in
more danger than she ever imagined. Stefan has crafted a murder mystery that is
fast-paced, full of suspense and action-packed. The plot has quite a few twists
and turns and none of the characters is what they first seem to be. Amanda
starts off a bit precious, but eventually finds her metal. Everyone, it seems,
even the staff and the lawyer, might have a motive for murder. Stefan manages
to include plenty of excitement: assaults and murders, as well as kidnapping,
shootings, car chases, a suicide and a bomb scare, with organised crime bosses,
a stolen drug formula, adultery and quite a lot of money in the background. The
dialogue is sharp and realistic and readers familiar with the Australian
location will appreciate the chase down the mountain. It will be interesting to
see what Stefan produces next. A gripping read.
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