If Wishes Were Horses...

Hemlin's first mystery is a very promising, quite smart, launch to a new series. Neil Marshall is busy enough as a poetry grad student, part-time caterer and soon-to-be divorce. But when Neil's best friend, horse breeder Jason Keys, is murdered and Neil becomes a suspect, he reluctantly adds amateur sleuth, racing analyst and teen psychologist to his resume. This is a Southern-fried tale blessed by an unconventional cast of characters who are at times more reminiscent of Greenwich Village than Houston. One request of the author, though: Hemlin could go a little easier when he attempts Southern dialogue: a little ""I ain't got spittle for anyone who knew that son of a bitch!"" goes a long way. (July)