El nuevo caso que tiene entre manos Regan Reilly no parece muy complicado: ha de encontrar a la joven Whitney Weldon para que acuda a la boda de una pariente lejana, la anciana Lucretia Standish. Pero las cosas no resultaran tan sencillas: el prometido de Lucretia, cincuenta años mas joven que ella, tiene mucho que perder si Whitney se presenta a la boda, y esta dispuesto a todo para evitar que eso suceda. En cuarenta y ocho horas freneticas, Reilly se las vera con criminales sin escrupulos, hippies cincuentones, bandas de motoristas tatuados, directores de cine y buscadores de tesoros en una aventura en la que contara con la ayuda de sus excepcionales padres y su novio Jack. / Clark's sixth rollicking mystery featuring L.A. PI Regan Reilly (Fleeced, etc.) boasts a wonderful cast: Lucretia Standish, a wealthy 96-year-old former silent-film star (who claims to be 93); Lucretia's sneaky, fortune-hunting fianc , 40-ish Edward Fields; as well as the old lady's late (fifth) husband's family, a clutch of superannuated hippies who manage Altered States, a winery/hotel near Santa Barbara. Regan must track down a missing young actress and scion of Lucretia's late husband's family, Whitney Weldon, aka ""Freshness Lilac,"" the name her hippie mother gave her. Adding to the fanciful mix are 21 tattooed bikers who have made Lucretia their pet; Regan's mother, who, like the author's own, is a successful novelist; television and movie people; and a host of other amusing California types. The redoubtable Lucretia made $60 million by being smart enough to dump some dot.com stock that Edward had foisted on her, but she's not smart enough to see through his schemes as their wedding day approaches. She drags him to Altered States to meet her eccentric family in her brand-new Rolls Royce, escorted by her idolizing bikers. It's up to Regan to sort everything out, and thanks to the transcontinental e-mail aid of her sweetheart, Jack ""no relation"" Reilly, she's more than equal to the task. As usual, Clark provides plenty of fast-paced fun, with all the substance of a soap bubble, and best of all, nobody gets hurt. (Aug. 27) FYI: Clark has coauthored two novels with her mother, Mary Higgins Clark, He Sees You When You're Sleeping and Deck the Halls.