See Naples and Kill

This lively and colorful tale involves the inventively named January Esposito. Recently fired from his London job because of a practical joke, dumped by his girlfriend, Jan is asked for help by his desperate half-brother, Gigi, who appears to be on the run from some very tough characters. The tough guys rough up Jan, who manages to elude them in time to foil an attempted murder by Gigi, but then becomes involved in two other shootings. His only clue a tape recording of what appears to be arrangements for a murder, Jan follows his brother to Naples, where they both have extensive family ties and where they spent time as children. There Jan tracks down a shady lawyer, Vincenzo Amedeo, who is apparently an agent for an international assassin. Others involved are an international playboy and his girlfriend, a mild-mannered little English teacher and an Italian journalist. While the body count rises, Jan's problem remains in determining who, including his brother, is on which side. Along with creating a most engaging protagonist, Dowling ( Double Take ) describes Naples with a loving eye. (Dec )