Teardown

First novelist Wuamett relates horrific events in this cynical, hard-edged drama, expertly steering clear of sensationalism. Real-estate broker Chase Randel of San Jose, Calif., feels obliged to learn how his friend Ed Bailey was crushed by an elevator in the Pioneer Building, which Ed owned and was preparing to renovate. An amateur sleuth, Chase antagonizes the police detective in charge of the case, but refuses to back off. Consulting with the victim's ex-wife, Susan, Chase promises to check records of opposition to Ed's renovation plans. With the help of spunky reporter Molly Gish, who becomes his lover, Chase looks for possible killers among the powerful forces demanding the razing of the city's old structures. The two are in double jeopardy as they uncover facts about a psycho who kills his ``enemies'' by trapping them in burning buildings. Thriller buffs will hope for more stories of Wuamett's appealing crime-busting couple. (Mar.)