BLACK DAWN

Fourth in Nicole's Jolly-flogger saga of the West Indies, here lumbering through the conflict of Good Brother (Richard) and Bad Brother (Tony), sons of a Wilberforce abolitionist and heirs to the Hilton sugar plantation in Jamaica. Ownership goes to gentle, kindly Richard, and Tony's undercutting attempts begin early on, while Richard works for plantation reform--calling house servants ""Mr."" and shaking hands with blacks as the neighboring planters vibrate predictably. Richard is happily snuggled in with his late uncle's lusty, middle-aged mistress (although he's tempted by her nubile daughter Judith) until his horrid English fianceÉ arrives--then he's charged with raping Judith. So it's off to sea and shipwreck in Haiti, where Richard mashes his handsome face in an accident, serves Henri Christophe, learns to whomp the enemy with sword and pistol, and has his very own lovely French slave--yo ho and yum yum. Then back to Jamaica and a trial to prove that he is the rightful owner of the Hilton holdings, now a house of horrors under Tony. It all ends with fraternal gun play while the boys' tough English mother waves a pistol. More soggy than sultry.