The Cheerio Killings

In this surprising, uncompromising first novel, ``cowboy'' cop Lupe Garcia (with a rep for violence and no regard for the proper channels) investigates the throat-slashing murders of several women in the Detroit area. Under pressure to make an arrest, Garcia pegs guitar-playing redneck Lamont Yarborough as the killer, for a variety of insufficient reasons. While amassing evidence, Garcia pursues his romantic interest in Linda Kerry, a reporter with the Detroit Free Press who's working on a story about Yarborough--by whom she's both intrigued and frightened. After Yarborough disarms a gun-wielding madman in the presence of press and upper-echelon police, Garcia is told to investigate other possible suspects, and when he complains, is accused of conflict of interests: e.g., jealousy over Kerry. Hairpin twists add to an already solid plot. Allyn displays a flair for gritty, colloquial dialogue, a heartfelt love for music and its late-night, honky-tonk environment, and a talent for making even the most incidental characters flesh-and-blood originals. (Oct.)