cover image Second Jeopardy

Second Jeopardy

Roger Ormerod. Doubleday Books, $12.95 (182pp) ISBN 978-0-385-24613-2

The prolific and amazingly inventive British author has never created so grand a tale as his new thriller about unlikely partners. Virginia Brent, the clever daughter of a London police officer, persuades semi-hardboiled Harry Hodnutt to help her investigate the murder of Angela Reed, allegedly Virginia's sister. Harry has served time for the robbery in which Angela was involved, but he was acquitted of her murder. Now the ex-con and the bereft woman risk their lives as they dig up secrets guarded by Harry's betrayers, Angela's lovers, her female rivals and powerful gangsters. Of the many surprises in the fast, terrifying and witty story, the greatest comes in the deeply moving moment when Virginia tells Harry the true reason for her detective work. The unerringly skillfull Ormerod makes it all credible and simply wonderful. (Dec.)