

Code of Conduct by Kristine Smith
	Review Copyright (c) 1999 Aaron M. Renn

Conclusion: Recommended

This is a very solid outing for a first novel.  In the first few pages I
noticed a typical amateur writer's penchant for flowery wording, but
either I adjusted to it or it rapidly faded.  The rest of the book was a
fairly well done and an interesting mystery.

Jani Kilian was living under a false identity on a backwater world because
she was wanted for a few past crimes.  Her past catches up with her in the
form of Evan van Reuter, a former lover who needs her to return to Earth
in order to track down the killer of his ex-wife Lyssa.  Jani is the only
one Evan trusts, and also is an expert document technician who would be
able to sort through the paper trail that might solve the crime.  She
reluctantly agrees, and soon finds - of course - that there is much more
to this than meets the eye.

The good: lots of the tough, hard edged characters that I like, a fairly
interesting alien culture, the unusual societal focus on documention, the
fact that some things are not resolved but in a manner that doesn't
necessarily require a sequel, and the good plot twists as Jani unravels
the mystery.

The bad: a few cliches, a couple plot holes, and a spoiler on the back
cover that actually contains information I didn't recall reading directly
anywhere in the text.

If you like a good hard-boiled detective story, you'll probably like this
book.  Though I must confess I probably cheated just a little to rate this
books as "Recommended" instead "Worth Reading".  I couldn't resist because
it was a first novel, and because the author lives near me (Chicago) and
is such a babe.

%A Smith, Kristine
%T Code of Conduct
%I Avon Eos
%D 1999-11
%G ISBN 0-380-80783-1
%P 346 pp.
%O mass market paperback, US$5.99

Reviewed on 1999-11-30

Aaron M. Renn ([email-masked]) http://www.urbanophile.com/arenn/