Jimmy the Wags: Street Adventures of a Private Eye

Written with Picciarelli (like Wagner, a former cop), these streetwise recollections have the sound of tales told from a barstool--impossible to confirm (names are changed) and perhaps massaged a bit. Retired after 22 years as a New York City cop but still craving action, Wagner became a PI and found himself in some sticky situations. There were the cash-toting Saudi princes who required Wags and other bodyguards to take them eating and shopping--and then asked Wags to procure hookers and cocaine (he sat out the latter task). He flew to Denmark and to Turkey to snatch kids in child-custody disputes--both missions required as much fistic persuasion as derring-do. He trailed some elusive philanderers, guarded a crazed, drunken heiress and stymied an extortion attempt by wannabe wiseguys by doing his Joe Pesce imitation. Wags wound up as head of security for a high-price, mobbed-up topless bar. After he left, owing his boss a favor, he helped collect some extortion debts and found himself arrested after his co-collectors decided to rob patrons of a massage parlor. He got probation and gave up his license but still works in security. Though Wags regrets he joined the collectors, he seems proud of some other dubious activities. While these reminiscences contain a few too many hard-boiled clich s, they're engaging enough if you have a beer in your fist. (May)