Glamour Puss

Kaiser, purveyor of wildly charismatic characters, is sure to score another hit with this quirky, fast-moving novel set in and around Los Angeles. Back in 1978, pool builder Mac McGowan and wannabe starlet Stella St. George accidentally killed Stella's husband, Aubrey, after he caught them in bed together. Afraid they wouldn't be able to prove that Aubrey's death was accidental, Mac covered up the misdeed by burying the body under the ground where the pool foundation would be poured the next day. Later, he and Stella married. Fast forwarding to the present, Mac is now a wealthy man but his status gives him little comfort. He and Stella have separated (they'll never divorce because spouses cannot testify against each other and their secret still binds them together even if love no longer does), his actor son hates him for not supporting his film career and someone is sending him ominous notes that say, ""I know what you did on Friday, October 13, 1978."" When Mac hires gorgeous private investigator Jade Morro to find out who's behind the notes, she uncovers a murderous brother-sister team out to whack Mac, as well as a sexy East Indian filmmaker's scheme to con Mac out of a few million, which is thwarted by Mac's son, who has devious plans of his own. Kaiser (Fruitcake; Payback) has created a fine suspense novel with plenty of twists and turns. (Dec.)