ACT OF FAITH

After their photo safari in newly independent (1963) Burundi makes them witnesses to a Katangan guerrilla attack on Major Michael Ndala's government forces, Thomas and Sandrine Curry (Badger Game, Fielder's Choice) are sent to a tiny inn in Muramvya, where they have front-row seats for more violence: the murder of fishy American Alex Hanson, who falls naked onto Sandrine, strolling on the porch outside Hanson's window minutes after the fatal shot. Shrewd juge d'instruction Antoine Mboya, convinced that the probable murderer, Claude Devereaux, knows more than his protests of innocence insist, persuades Sandrine to cross-examine him—but after she comes up with only a few tempting hints of government involvement, Thomas gets attacked by Bantu strongmen after causing a minor incident at the French Embassy, and husband and wife are separated for the rest of this muffled adventure. Thomas and Sandrine continue to charm, but Bowen's trademark cleverness in plotting is in short supply in this dim outing.