Katastrophe

Believers of reincarnation, what are the odds that Adolf Hitler is alive, in a new form, somewhere? It's a killer premise, and Boyll rides it for all it's worth in this engaging debut novel of mistaken identity and media frenzy--until the tepid conclusion flatly dissipates the intrigue. Hank Thorwald, a professor in Terre Haute, Ind., agrees to undergo hypnosis at his friend Perry Miller's party, but the gag turns ugly when Hank is led to reveal that he is the incarnation of Adolf Hitler. Thanks to the presence at the party of TV personality Alan Weston (Indiana's version of Howard Stern), Hank becomes a tabloid sensation and soon the hub of catastrophes both tragic and ludicrous, ruining the Thorwald family's life. Hank's wife, Rebecca, is a sharp-tongued, believable heroine who tries mightily to clear Hank's name and to protect 11-year-old daughter Sharri. A f hrer fanatic pays a visit to the Thorwalds, convinced that Hank knows the secret whereabouts of Hitler's corpse. Boyll, author of several Darkman series paperbacks, keeps the action going, and his plucky characters deliver whip-smart dialogue, even as the plot grows more convoluted. But there are too many blind alleys in what should be a straight-shot plot, with much action occurring offstage and a muddling subplot involving an aged group of ex-Hitler Youths and a dubious lawyer. The first half of this hefty book delivers all it promises of a spiraling mystery and a frightening conundrum, complete with voracious reporters, double-crossing academics and neo-Nazi subcultures, but the ultimate solution to Hank's identity crisis is apt to elicit a ""Huh?"" from discerning readers rather than a spellbound ""Wow!"" Agent, Lisa Bankoff. (May)