Challenge

A detailed look at the worldand businessof professional sailing enlivens this fairly unsurprising thriller by the author of Asia Rip and Coaster. Still devastated by his young daughter's kidnapping and wife's subsequent departure, naval architect Paul Briggs receives a third shock when his cousin Jack is murdered while working late one evening on a design for a syndicate that wants to race in the America's Cup competition. Notwithstanding the disbelief of the police, Paul suspects that a rival consortium killed Jack while attempting to steal the plans. As he begins to search for the slayers and battles a creative block to complete his cousin's work, a series of violent acts of sabotage confirm his worst fears. Although landlubbers will tire of the overly technical discussion of ship design, the author's inside track on the financial and political dealings of world-class sailing lends convincing detail. However, the mystery he constructs is deficient, with a number of subplots unresolved and an out-of-the blue ending that may leave readers feeling cheated. 25,000 first printing; $25,000 ad/promo. (July)