Deadly Climate

The latest larky thriller in Barth's series opens with grand prospects for Margaret Binton and her elderly pals, retirees known for their crime-fighting exploits in Manhattan. Winning a fully equipped recreational vehicle, Margaret takes off for Miami with widow Berdie Mangione and widowers Sid Rossman and Joe Durso, all anticipating a balmy winter vacation. But the friends feel a chill crueler than the winds up North, when they decide to use the RV to drive nursing home residents on outings. Their suspicions are alerted when the manager of Forstman's Rest Home turns down their offer, then they learn how frightened Forstman's ``guests'' are. Soon after one of them, Mr. Schecter, dares to speak up and sneak a message to Margaret, his obit appears in the press. At that, Sid agrees to pose as a patient and spy on the operators of the homewhich turns out to be involved in a multimillion dollar drug-smuggling scam. While Margaret, Berdie and Joe tangle with the conspirators outside, Sid duels with his captors within. Although the daring detecting quartet are in awful danger, they're also having the time of their lives, and so will their many fans. (June)