Neey Jones: The Medusa

The ""token black female deputy"" in the lily-white Taft County, Ore., sheriff's department, Neely is stunned when she's elected sheriff, beating out the misogynist, bigoted good-ol'-boy who's reigned for years. Since she's experienced nothing but harassment from her fellow officers, she decides to turn down the honor. But before she can, she discovers an envelope filled with money hidden in her predecessor's desk and receives a phone call telling her she will get $100,000 if she resigns. The bribe, however, changes her mind, and she embraces her new post. Not long afterward, she finds the body of her lover, Jan, a biologist with the local Oceanographic Center, floating in one of the Center's jellyfish pools. Sickened and outraged, Neely vows to clean up the county and wages an uphill battle to link the hush money, the Center's operations and Jan's murder. She'd love to pin the guilt on Jan's gorgeous colleague, Andrea, with whom he had a fight. But although she dislikes the beautiful rival who lies about owning a gun and who has taken the backup disks in Jan's office, Neely thinks there's more to his murder than sexual and professional jealousy. When she learns that the DEA has pinpointed a drug smuggler in the area, and then the former sheriff is found murdered, Neely thinks she's on the right track. Meanwhile, she overcomes the department's resentment at her election and begins to form alliances. Wren's prose is often melodramatic, and the deluge of troubles Neely must overcome is excessive. Nonetheless, Neely's innate honesty and determination make this a good series kickoff by the author of the Conan Flagg mysteries (Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat, etc.). (Oct.)