BAD GUYS

Reporter Zack Walker, worrier, bungler and reluctant hero, has moved from the suburbs back to the city (unnamed, but the generic metropolitan background suffices) with his wife, Sarah, son Paul and daughter Angie, in Canadian author Barclay's winning second comic caper (after 2004's Bad Move ). The Walkers aren't really dysfunctional, but they're close enough to the edge as they cope with various pressures: 16-year-old Paul's flirtation with drinking; college freshman Angie's admirer, who may be a dangerous stalker; and the transportation convolutions necessary in a one-car, two-school, two-job family. Zack tries to solve this last problem while also working on a feature story that has him accompanying a PI on a stakeout for a smash-and-grab gang. He avoids hassling with a car dealer by going to a police auction, but the car he gets is no bargain. When his PI friend is attacked, Zack races to the rescue. And when some nasty folks target his family, Zack pulls out all the stops to try to remove the threat. This cleverly executed mystery includes both long-term setups and well hidden surprises. Agent, Helen Heller. (May 31)