Trouble Comes Back: A Jason Keltner Mystery

Hip and witty, the third Jason Keltner mystery (after Show Control, etc.) finds the young Southern California musician/composer helping his friend Martin. Martin's mom has taken up with yet another unworthy boyfriend, a drug dealer named Ed. Joined by a third pal, aspiring actor Robert, Jason and Martin manage to scare Ed off. Through a series of unlikely coincidences, this bit of do-gooding leads to a meeting with one of Ed's clients, rock legend Dwight Cooper (aka Uncle Trouble). Dwight shoots dope to escape the stress of life on the road and the threats of his ex-wife, supermodel Lissa Court, who wants custody of their daughter, Donna. Little Donna takes an instant liking to tall and tender Robert, so Dwight hires the guys to provide security for the tyke. When Lissa shows up, they leap into action, scaring her off, but they sense that something's not quite right, for Lissa acts less like a kidnapper than a loving mother who longs to see her child. Then Donna is snatched, a band member is shot, Dwight almost kills himself on his motorcycle and it is Lissa who comes through with the money for the ransom. Further complications ensue, but Jason won't let go of the case until he resolves the trouble, all the while fending off a lustful ex-wife. Snyder's dialogue mercifully forgoes macho posturing clich s; his heroes' conversations are often eclectically erudite. The plot line slips along at a pleasant clip with a number of twists and turns. Few of these truly startle, but, then, neither does much else in this enjoyable but lightweight mystery. (Oct.)