Bobby Gonzales, a promising young dancer with the Miami ballet, is the only suspect in the murder of Roger Cresswell, whose family has been building yachts for wealthy Floridians for two decades. Bobby is also the secret boyfriend of Angela Quintana, whose father Anthony, a successful criminal attorney, is having trouble letting go of the two main women in his life: his daughter and his former fiancée, Gail Connor. Angela asks Gail to help her clear Bobby; Gail is torn, knowing her participation will bring her face to face with the man she still loves.

Roger is the second Cresswell to die violently; his sister, a talented artist who was the wife of Anthony Quintana's client, took her life at the height of her fame. Those facts seem like more than coincidence to Gail, whose efforts to unravel the family secrets that seem to be at the core of the Cresswell deaths are complicated by her fondness for Angela, her belief in Bobby's innocence, and a surprising secret of her own.

Suspicion of Malice is as much a love story as a murder mystery, but Parker invests her plot with enough stylish touches to keep the momentum going. She excels at characterization--Gail's emotional depths and conflicted feelings are well explicated, Anthony's old-world machismo and modern vulnerabilities sympathetically portrayed, and the secondary players, especially Gail's mother and Anthony's grandfather, clearly and convincingly drawn. As in previous outings (Suspicion of Deceit, Suspicion of Betrayal), Parker has used the sexual tension between Gail and Anthony as they collaborate in crime-solving to good effect; how the events in their relationship that drive this thriller to its violent conclusion will affect their professional as well as personal affairs awaits a future installment. --Jane Adams


From Publishers Weekly
Florida attorney Parker has produced a new installment in her series of legal thrillers that feature Miami lawyers Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana. Since the previous novel (Suspicion of Betrayal), Gail has split up with her Cuban-born lover, the rich and sleek Quintana. But events conspire to throw them together again when Roger Creswell, the heir to a yacht-building fortune, is shot dead during a wild party. Bobby Gonzalez, a dancer with the Miami City Ballet, is the prime suspect in the murder. Despite her father's opposition, Anthony's teenage daughter, Angela, is taking dance lessons with the ballet company. Having fallen in love with Bobby, Angela asks Gail to help exonerate him. Meanwhile, Anthony is investigating the murder on behalf of a friend of the victim's family. As in her earlier mysteries, Parker serves up an enticing plate of murder and intrigue baked by the hot Florida sun. Gail and Anthony generate more heat and sexual tension, while the painful history of Anthony's Cuban family adds poignancy. This fast-paced story may get overly dramatic at times, but that's more than made up for by its inspired mix of sexy love story, sulky teenagers, family feuds and secrets, dramatic contrasts between different cultures and sharp outbreaks of murder and mayhem. (May) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Once again, Parker brings together attorneys Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana in a novel of suspense set in beautiful Miami. Her ability to weave strands of intrigue and deception are flawless, guiding the reader's search for the real murderer of Roger Cresswell, heir to the family yacht-building business. Parker fans will remember that in her last novel, Suspicion of Betrayal, Connor and Quintana had just broken off their engagement and were trying to recover their separate lives. However, this novel brings them face to face again, with each defending a client they feel is innocent. Will their reunion in court spark one outside? Parker keeps you turning the pages to find the answer to this question and many others. Recommended for all public libraries.-Stacey Reasor, ITT Technical Inst., Tampa, FL Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Malice, Murder, and Mayhem

For fans of the Suspicion mystery series by Edgar nominee Barbara Parker, there is good news. The next book in the series, Suspicion of Malice, is here, and it's the most riveting one yet. As a former state prosecutor for Dade County, Florida, Parker's keen grasp of the politics and subtleties involved in the practice of law is obvious in her books and is a large part of their appeal. But her strongest suit is her ability to pull readers into the lives of two of the most complex and fascinating characters to come down the pike in years -- lawyers Anthony Quintana and Gail Connor.

In the last book, Suspicion of Betrayal, Connor and Quintana had a major blowup and broke off their engagement. Anthony spent some time in Spain, while Gail remained in Miami to try to mend her broken heart, resuscitate her law practice, and raise her preadolescent daughter. Though determined to put Anthony as far behind her as possible, Gail finds the fates have something else in mind. She is approached by Anthony's teenage daughter, Angela, who begs Gail to defend her boyfriend, Bobby Gonzales, a talented young ballet dancer and the prime suspect in a murder case.

The murder victim is Roger Cresswell, one of the heirs apparent in the wealthy, yacht-building Cresswell family. Apparently Roger and Bobby had a falling-out, and their heated exchange was witnessed by several people, making Bobby the lead suspect. Plus, an altercation that led to Roger's bloody nose has left Bobby with a shirt that has the dead man's blood on it. Bobby gets a momentary reprieve when it's discovered he has an alibi -- two of them, in fact. But the reprieve doesn't last long. One of the alibis, a high-profile judge up for election, attended the same party Bobby did on the night of the murder, but won't admit to being there. Much to Gail's dismay, the judge's determination is supported by his lawyer, none other than Anthony Quintana. To make matters worse, the second half of Bobby's alibi is Quintana's daughter, who has been forbidden by her father to see Bobby.

Caught in the middle and struggling to deal with her own issues, Gail reluctantly accepts Anthony's help, realizing that a criminal murder case is a bit outside her realm of experience. Together they take a closer look at the eccentric and powerful Cresswells, a family with too much money, too few morals, and a whole truckload of dark secrets they'd rather not expose. But Gail has a secret of her own, one she is reluctant to share with Anthony, knowing he'll be angry and unsure herself just what it means. Yet it's a secret that must come out eventually. And when it does, it will have a devastating impact on both of their lives.

As Anthony and Gail close in on the killer, they also close in on their shared emotions. There is much hurt to overcome and hefty walls to tear down, but there is no denying that they still have strong feelings for each other. When the killer is at long last revealed and Gail is targeted as a victim, it will force these two lovers to face some painful and tragic facts.

One of Parker's greatest strengths is her character development. The relationship between Gail and Anthony is every bit as riveting as the race to find a killer. And certain members of the Cresswell family are as twisted and corrupt as they come. Parker's talents at plotting make it hard to tell just which characters are the worst, as each one weaves a web of lies -- some for altruistic reasons, others for purely selfish ones. Unraveling this sticky web of half-truths is only part of the fun. Watching two proud, passionate, and stubborn lovers try to mend the rent fabric of their own lives is an equal joy. It's Parker's ability to keep these characters interesting and fresh that assures this series a long and successful future.

—Beth Amos

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The critics call Barbara Parker's work "top-drawer suspense" (The New York Times Book Review) and proclaim her to be "one of the genre's most accomplished performers" (The San Diego Union-Tribune). Now, in her most intense, unforgettable novel to date, Parker reunites Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana for a shocking case that exposes the underbelly of sleek Miami--a case that could bring them closer together, or destroy everything they hold dear.

A brutal murder takes place in the shadows of an exclusive party on the Miami waterfront. The victim is the heir to a yacht-building family fortune. Bobby Gonzales, a talented dancer with the Miami Ballet, is the prime suspect, as well as Gail Connor's newest client. Gonzales has an alibi, but it involves a respected Miami judge with whom he was smoking marijuana at the time of the murder. The judge is represented by Anthony Quintana, Gail's ex-fianc￯﾿ﾽ. Gail must join forces with Anthony--the man she'd vowed never to lay eyes on again--to find the killer and clear both their clients. Thrust back together with Quintana, Gail must decide if she should reveal a shocking secret . . . something she should have confessed months ago that will change both of their lives forever.

Barbara Parker, a former state prosecutor for Dade County, Florida, and Edgar Award nominee, is the author of six previous novels: Suspicion of Innocence, Suspicion of Guilt, Blood Relations, Criminal Justice, Suspicion of Deceit, and Suspicion of Betrayal.

FROM THE CRITICS

Barnes & Noble Guide to New Fiction

Gail Connor is back for another "nice, tidy" suspenseful tale - this time she's defending her daughter's boyfriend in a murder case that depends upon the testimony of a reluctant alibi witness - Connor's former boyfriend, with whom she has "explosive chemistry." "Miami is as much a character in this book as the protagonist, the heat in both kept me reading." For others, it was "impossible to read unless you've read the other books in the series." "Hard to follow without a Playbill."

Publishers Weekly

Florida attorney Parker has produced a new installment in her series of legal thrillers that feature Miami lawyers Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana. Since the previous novel (Suspicion of Betrayal), Gail has split up with her Cuban-born lover, the rich and sleek Quintana. But events conspire to throw them together again when Roger Creswell, the heir to a yacht-building fortune, is shot dead during a wild party. Bobby Gonzalez, a dancer with the Miami City Ballet, is the prime suspect in the murder. Despite her father's opposition, Anthony's teenage daughter, Angela, is taking dance lessons with the ballet company. Having fallen in love with Bobby, Angela asks Gail to help exonerate him. Meanwhile, Anthony is investigating the murder on behalf of a friend of the victim's family. As in her earlier mysteries, Parker serves up an enticing plate of murder and intrigue baked by the hot Florida sun. Gail and Anthony generate more heat and sexual tension, while the painful history of Anthony's Cuban family adds poignancy. This fast-paced story may get overly dramatic at times, but that's more than made up for by its inspired mix of sexy love story, sulky teenagers, family feuds and secrets, dramatic contrasts between different cultures and sharp outbreaks of murder and mayhem. (May) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Library Journal

Once again, Parker brings together attorneys Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana in a novel of suspense set in beautiful Miami. Her ability to weave strands of intrigue and deception are flawless, guiding the reader's search for the real murderer of Roger Cresswell, heir to the family yacht-building business. Parker fans will remember that in her last novel, Suspicion of Betrayal, Connor and Quintana had just broken off their engagement and were trying to recover their separate lives. However, this novel brings them face to face again, with each defending a client they feel is innocent. Will their reunion in court spark one outside? Parker keeps you turning the pages to find the answer to this question and many others. Recommended for all public libraries.--Stacey Reasor, ITT Technical Inst., Tampa, FL Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

Kirkus Reviews

Miami lawyer Gail Connor squares off against her ex-fiancé Anthony Quintana in the fifth volume of this interchangeably titled series (Suspicion of Betrayal, 1999, etc.). After Roger Cresswell, do-nothing Executive VP of Cresswell Yachts, is shot dead in the middle of a spirited party on the family estate, Gail's old nemesis Sgt. Frank Britton naturally overlooks all the family members present to fix on Bobby Gonzalez, East Harlem tough guy/ballet dancer, who was working at the party even though Roger had just fired him from his job at the boating yard. Bobby's girlfriend Angela Quintana swears that he couldn't have been the killer, but she doesn't want to tell her old-world father that part of Bobby's alibi depends on her. So Gail goes instead after the rest of Bobby's alibi, Nate Harris, a criminal judge he talked to at the party, and finds that (1) Harris, hopeful of a job on the federal bench, doesn't want to tell the cops he was smoking weed with this kid; and (2) doggone if Harris isn't Anthony Quintana's friend and client as well. It's a lucky thing that Angela and the judge give Gail and Anthony grounds for endless skirmishes, because the real suspects are a dull lot: Roger's gold-digging widow Nikki; his parents Claire and Porter (the stuffy company president); Porter's brother Dub (director of sales) and his wife Elizabeth; Dub's and Liz's children Sean and Diane (the only Cresswell with an ounce of decency, outsiders maintain); and Claire's nephew, low-end art dealer Jack Pascoe. Longtime fans will know enough to forget the family's dueling alibis and canned secrets, which recall Agatha Christie atherweariest, and focus on Gail and Anthony as they revisit the gender battles of the '70s —or the Neanderthal Era. Sadly, the killer's revealed just as the lovers have resolved their differences. The last thirty pages might as well be blank.