Miss Melville's Revenge

Fans of the fastest trigger in New York will enjoy assassin Susan Melville's third caper, a delightfully amusing satire. The famous middle-aged artist-turned-hitwoman is now devoting herself to pro bono cases: eliminating international politicos whose crimes might otherwise go unpunished. Susan's latest prey, a personal vendetta, is dictator Relempago Martillo of La Pradera, a small South American country. What makes Martillo a target is the fact that he murdered Susan's father--and Martillo is now within her scope since he will be coming to the U.S. to address the United Nations. As Susan plots his demise, she encounters several suspicious, bizarre individuals who, in one way or another, try to thwart her plan; their machinations provide readers with many laughs. Though the adventure lacks the lightning pace and myriad plot twists that enlivened previous novels ( Miss Melville Returns ), Susan continues to be a captivating heroine. It is Smith's shocking denouement, however, that makes this book stand out. (May)