Deadeye

Since the appearance of his first nautical thriller, Llewellyn ( Death Roll ) has enjoyed favorable comparisons to Dick Francis, employing his sailing background and experience as successfully as Francis has exploited the world of horseracing. Llewellyn also creates complex heroes whose clear strengths --and foibles--are a large part of each book's appeal. Just such a man is divorce lawyer Harry Frazer, whose new boat is damaged in a late-night collision off the west coast of Scotland, landing him in a situation rife with violence and murder. Both courageous and compassionate (he is sole support of a self-destructive sister), Frazer confronts a deadly environmental threat to the Scottish village where he ends up after his accident. His love for an American woman he meets there spurs some rather implausible heroics, culminating in a final confrontation with the unexpected villain in a nearby stone quarry. These Ludlum-esque goings-on add an unfortunate air of improbability to Llewellyn's resolution--but cannot seriously blemish a wonderful read. (Jan.)