Smash Cut » (Unabridged, 11 CDs, 14 hours)

Already a successful romance novelist in the 1980s, Sandra Brown struck gold when she pushed past the category s boundaries to take chances with more intricate plotting, richer characters, and surprising plot twists. Her string of bestsellers feature strong, capable career women in extreme circumstances.

The latest thriller from "masterful storyteller" (USA Today) Sandra Brown

THE PRINCIPALS: Paul Wheeler: CEO of the Wheeler Enterprises empire, is shot dead during an armed robbery. Julie Rutledge: A savvy, cultured, and attractive Southern woman, was hand-inhand with Paul Wheeler at the time of his death. Derek Mitchell: A defense lawyer of renown, he goes to the mat to make a case for every client -- and headlines for himself. Creighton Wheeler: The prodigal nephew of Paul and a playboy with a passion for movies. Even those closest to Creighton can't be sure when he exits reality and enters the fantasy world of films.

STORYBOARD: The murder of Paul Wheeler has all the elements of a blockbuster: family rivalries, incalculable wealth, and a prominent man dying in the arms of his beautiful mistress. It's a case that could earn Derek Mitchell even greater star power. When the Wheeler family approaches him about defending Creighton for his...

Publishers Weekly

This superlative romantic thriller from bestseller Brown (Smoke Screen) features a particularly memorable villain, sociopath Creighton Wheeler, who’s obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films like Strangers on a Train and Frenzy. When Creighton’s wealthy uncle, Paul Wheeler, is shot dead in an apparent robbery at an Atlanta hotel, Paul’s close friend, gallery owner Julie Rutledge, attempts to persuade the police that Creighton ordered the hit. Creighton’s father asks Derek Mitchell, a criminal lawyer, to represent the accused Creighton, but Derek declines because he had a plane tryst en route to Paris with Julie after Paul’s murder. Angered by Derek’s refusal, Creighton stalks Julie; targets Derek’s dog, Maggie; and plots to kill the ex-girlfriend of his henchman, Billy Duke, after Billy has second thoughts about helping Creighton. Brown skillfully charts Julie and Derek’s quest to catch the slippery fiend. Multiple smash cuts (abrupt scene shifts) lead to a wonderfully frenzied finish. (Aug.)