A Simple Suburban Murder

A high school English teacher in suburban Chicago sets out to find the murderer of a very unpopular colleague in this competently written debut, which is surprisingly entertaining in spite of its focus: child homosexual prostitution and snuff movies, among other unsavory topics. Unlocking his classroom one morning, Tom Mason finds the body of Jim Evans of the math department, his head caved in. When Evans's son Phil, a former student of Mason's, disappears, he becomes the prime suspect. Determined to investigate despite police disapproval, Mason is aided by his lover, professional baseball player Scott Carpenter, who is still leery about coming out of the closet. The two uncover evidence that the dead man ran a computerized bookie system, blackmailed his colleagues and was involved in a homosexual child prostitution ring in Chicago. Although their lives are in danger, Mason and Carpenter manage to break up the ring and an associated snuff movie operation, and to find the killer. Zubro handles the love story tastefully and gives a vivid description of life in the underworld homosexual ghetto. (Feb. )