Rogue's Regatta

Briody's fourth novel (Rogue's Wager, etc.) brings Providence, R.I., TV reporter Michael Carolina back to the tony but corrupt sailing scene in Newport. Young Hunter Worthington III is sweeping sailing races, seemingly unstoppable. But the day after an inexplicable public argument with his aloof and rigid father, Hunter Jr., Hunter III is found dead on a yacht. Assigned to the story, Carolina and his associate Earl Taylor set out to investigate. Suspects include the deceased's body-pierced stepsister, Morgan, reticent headmaster DeLaurent and the Worthingtons' odd butler, Boswell. Coincidentally, Carolina's PI girlfriend, Carla Tattaglia, is hired to get to the bottom of the very same story, adding some strain to their relationship until they team up and learn about the perplexing goings-on--which turn out to include incest and pornography--at Ch teau du Printemps, the Worthington family abode. The trail leads to Minnesota and Florida before it circles back to Rhode Island at the end of a journey that takes readers through some very dirty family laundry. Along the way, Briody depicts two less-than-perfect father-son relationships--that of Hunter Jr. and Hunter III, and Carolina's rapport with his own boozing, gambling father. As usual, Carolina and Tattaglia acquire some bruises--and also as usual, Briody darkens a solid plot with some noir-spirited pathos. (Nov.)