Chain Saw

Chain Saw is more subtle than its title implies, and Gillis has structured his sequel to The Killers of Stanfish with a sure hand. Former L.A. cop Jonas Duncan is asked to help a wealthy widow who's waiting for young Julie Mapes to claim that her father was the widow's late son, Myron. At stake is a share in the lucrative forest-products business started by Mrs. Telford's husband, and Julie's resemblance to Myron is striking indeed. But since her alleged mother is dead, Duncan has to search for Julie's identity with the help of Mrs. Telford's super-rich attorney, a skeptical sheriff, a hard-drinking friend of Myron's and a truck driver who meets a suspicious demise. It's obvious who stands to lose if Julie's legit, but who stands to gain? Duncan ultimately shows us whowith the help of a chain sawbut not before we're treated to an engaging series of events in a Washington timber town. (October)