Red Means Run

Smith (Busted Flush) eschews pyrotechnics in favor of character in this assured crime novel, the first in a new series set in upstate New York. When defense attorney Mickey Dupree is found in a sand trap at the Burr Oak Golf and Country Club, the shaft of a broken five iron driven through his heart, suspicion falls on small-time rancher Virgil Cain, who 10 days earlier, in a local bar, threatened to blow off Mickey’s head. Virgil was unhappy that Mickey had gotten crazy record producer Alan Comstock off for killing Virgil’s wife. Homicide cop Claire Marchand is willing to give Virgil the benefit of the doubt, even after someone shoots Alan dead the day after Virgil escapes from police custody. Smith develops the romance between fugitive and lawwoman as smoothly as he drops in clues to the mystery. Intriguing background players, such as vet Mary Nelson, who shelters neglected horses, add depth. (Jan.)