Paradise Lost: A Novel Of Suspense    by Taffy Cannon Order:  USA  Can Perseverance Press, 2005 (2005) Paperback     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Stanford junior Holly Constantine and sexy TV star Vanessa Wyatt are kidnapped at the posh Santa Barbara health spa, Paradise Plaza. The two were obviously chosen as victims whose disappearances would maximize publicity for the kidnappers' demands - money for public parks for the people of various areas of the United States! A strange reason for such a dire crime. The two women handle their ordeal in entirely different ways. Closed in a dark, dank room, one uses her wiles and the other her intelligence. The action moves quickly and the turn the story takes is totally unexpected. I won't give it away. But I do recommend finding out for yourself. I like the character sketches of the players. They are deep enough that a reader feels they know each individual and can judge their actions almost before they happen. The suspense builds as the deadline for the money exchange approaches. The author is no newcomer to the writing world, and Paradise Lost, her thirteenth novel, is a good read for the suspense buff. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews