Exceptional Clearance

A steaming witch's brew of a tale about a serial killer bent on revenge against the entire New York City police force, Caunitz's ( One Police Plaza ) latest blockbuster recipe combines his lifetime of police work with a hint of Hollywood, a helping of women's rights, a bit of bombing, a touch of Transylvania and a pinch of S & M. After a second young black woman is found with her throat ripped out, the NYPD appoints rogue-male Lieutenant John Vinda to head up a task force. The subsequent murder of a white Sutton Place heiress belies a racial motive and prompts protests by angry women's groups, leading to the addition of two female detectives to the task force. The discovery of a fourth body by a famous movie star in the dressing room of a ritzy Fifth Avenue salon turns the case into a media circus. The lady cops pull off some outrageous interrogation techniques amid right-on characterizations of New York types. Never mind that the plot is a little contrived or that the cops have apparently gone through sensitivity training or that the ending may be unintentionally humorous--this book is great entertainment. 100,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections. (Sept.)