Never Forget [Paperback]

Luke and Laura revolutionized the daytime soap opera with their romance, a love story that began as a rape, carried on into a summer on the run from the mob and culminated in a ratings extravaganza of a wedding after stopping the evil Cassadines from freezing the world.

The whole phenomenon took place on ABC's "General Hospital" more than two decades ago.

Writer Thom Racina was the head writer of "GH" back during the L&L heyday, and he's still making waves today.

Today, Luke and Laura may essentially be kaput (she's in a mental ward after apparently murdering long beloved character Rick Webber; he's going nuts without her), but Racina's thriller, "Never Forget," proves he's still got what it takes to grab the attention of an audience.

The new novel opens with the death of Hollywood superstar Max Jaxon as he films a climactic hang-gliding scene for his new movie. From there, it's up to police detective Christopher Daniel to retrace Max's steps and uncover the events leading up to his apparent murder, which we see unfold.

Max is discovered by hot director Maggie Nash, with whom he has a sizzling affair. They are joined by rising ingenue Kristen Caulfield, but soon Kristen and Max are falling in love behind Maggie's back. Did his spurning of her turn Maggie insane? Or did Max's inability to commit drive Kristen over the edge?

Along the way, we are introduced to several other characters who might have had their own reasons to see Max crash and burn, like Maggie's wicked younger stepmother, Nicole, who had her own designs on Mr. Jaxon. Or did producer Bruce Borger, who carried a torch for Kristen, do the dirty deed? And what of Max's mysterious old friend, the unseen Nicky?

It's a nest of vipers, a den of snakes, and they all writhe under Racina's careful watch. The author has said this is most likely to be his biggest success because it is his sexiest, and the graphic nature certainly lends credence to that speculation.

After all, "Never Forget" did get picked up as a book of the month for the Doubleday Book Club and the Mystery Guild for September 2002.

"Never Forget" follows Racina's grand tradition of books with interesting, gripping plots that are a sight to behold as they progress.

In his "The Great Los Angeles Blizzard," (a precursor to Mikkos Cassadine's weather machine), a, um, blizzard hits Los Angeles. In "Snow Angel" we see a psychotic killer murder the parents of the object of his obsession to grow closer to them. In "Hidden Agenda," the heroine is a big star news reporter who might just be the center of a massive conspiracy to control the news, while the heroine of "Secret Weekend" finds herself trapped at the top of an unfinished apartment building and at the mercy of a killer.

Like these, "Never Forget" is very much a "Watch what happens under these circumstances" book, ruled by Racina's wild imagination and fueled by his great sense of entertainment and intrigue.

They're wild, unpredictable and fun.

And like the legends of Luke and Laura, these creations of Racina's may prove to be unforgettable indeed.