Serendipity Green

A smarmy overachiever's machinations power this sly sendup of smalltown politics and society shenanigans. D. William Aitchbone has schemed, he's planned, he's out-machiavellied Machiavelli, but he has not yet managed to get himself elected mayor of Tuttwyler, Ohio. Even more vexing, he cannot convince Howie Dornick--Aitchbone's half-brother-in-law, city maintenance engineer and town black sheep--to paint the eyesore of a home Howie inherited from his mother. Bill wants ""Squaw Days,"" Tuttwyler's upcoming festival, to be the best in town history so he can ride to the mayor's seat on a groundswell of popularity. If Howie will just paint his house, if the vice-president of the U.S. will agree to ride in the parade and if Bill can keep the other town councilors under his thumb, all will be well--particularly if he makes the money he expects when he sells his late uncle's farm to developers. Things seem to be going according to plan when Howie finally does agree to paint his house, but the strange green color he uses horrifies the town nearly as much as it delights Hugh Harbinger, a depressed New York ""renowned genius of color"" with a talent for marketing and development. Then a strange grave is uncovered on Aitchbone's developable property, and Howie and his honey, librarian Katherine Hardihood, see their way clear to make Aitchbone's life a living hell. Though moments of overly broad humor and a number of stock characters keep this clever follow-up to Levandoski's well-received first novel (Going to Chicago) from soaring, sound plotting and zippy pacing lead to a satisfying conclusion. (Apr.)