Dead-Stick: A Lucas Hallam Mystery

Set in the 1920s, this intriguing mystery marks the return of likable Lucas Hallam ( Wild Night ). A stuntman and former Texas Ranger, Hallam is hired by Hollywood producer Carl McGinley to find out who is trying to sabotage his current film, set during World War I. The prime suspects are Ku Klux Klansmen who have threatened Carl for hiring ``foreign'' flying ace Count von Ottenhausen. But Lucas also finds that the Count's sister, Lorraine, who was a spy during the war, has been seeing mobster Jocko Burke. Lucas redoubles his investigation after a young stunt pilot, Hank Schiller, is murdered, and he unknots an improbable tangle of motives as the players parade into Burke's hideaway, and the secret of the movie set is revealed. With the exception of the KKK smokescreen, Dead-Stick is on target. True-to-life characters with a dash of 1920s seasoning contribute to a satisfying read. (Sept.)