SHADOW MASQUE

Comfort (Echoes of Evil, 1977) seems to have stuck two inadequate little suspense plots together to make this second, messier adventure involving Catarina Regio, ""one of the world's great psychics."" This time Catarina helps young ventriloquist Petrina Gentry in London--who accidentally gets hold of a doll containing a gem stolen by the IRA (plot #1) and is summoned home to Florida to help search for her missing cousin Linette (plot #2). Complications include Petrina's relationship with Linette's husband Tony (he's Petrina's still-lecherous old flame and seems to be shadily conspiring with a lawyer about oil on Linette's estate), plus various suspicious types who follow Petrina to Florida and try to grab the doll. But eventually Petrina does rescue catatonic Linette (there's a secret family will involved) while the IRA types, including ruthless dancer Morag, are foiled--though neither happy ending has all that much to do with Catarina's vibrations or those of Petrina's true love, ""mentalist"" David. Fuzzy, bumpy, clichÉridden (every villain is forever ""drawing his lips tightly across his teeth""). . . but harmless.