Cat and Mouse

Since 1952, Gault (Don't Cry for Me et al.) has won an Edgar, a Shamus and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, but he may not pick up many new fans with his latest Brock Callahan mystery. Callahan, ex-Los Angeles Ram and ex-private eye, is living in comfortable retirement in California. Someone tosses a dead cat, its throat cut, onto his front lawn. A couple of local burglaries in his affluent seaside town suggest, to Callahan, restive teenagers. When his young private-eye protege Corey Raleigh investigates a lead on the mutilated cat, he's almost framed for murder. Callahan researches his files for clues and through his own sleuthing comes up with a suspect: a tinhorn gambler out to avenge a brother sent to jail by Callahan. Turbo, the gambler, leads Callahan on a paper chase, killing two people along the way to a lethal confrontation. The usual characters are here""liberated'' wife Jan, independent housekeeper/cook Mrs. Casey et al.and Callahan's still a very good guy, but the story is slight, and Callahan's final meeting with the killer is foolhardy. (March)