Slashback: A Jake Lassiter Novel

Miami lawyer Jake Lassiter (Mortal Sin), former football pro, is bothered that his job is generally ``to excuse, to deny, and to obfuscate.'' When an octogenarian millionaire pal is robbed of nearly two million dollars' worth of bearer-bond coupons, though, the ensuing danger and excitement are more than enough to get Jake's mind off his troubles. Before Jake can do much probing into the theft, he's caught up in a surf-sailing race to the Bahamas. An old acquaintance from Hawaii, Keaka Kealia, is the odds-on favorite. He's also, unknown to Jake, up to his massive shoulders in drug-running. Distracted by Keaka's stunningly beautiful lover, Lila, Jake ignores Keaka's growing weirdness; but after a night with Lila, he realizes that Keaka is in possession of the stolen coupons. Some grisly murders lead to a couple of spectacular gory climaxes, after which Jake enters into a temporary truce with the remaining villain. Jake's misreading of other people's character is tough to swallow, and the Hawaiian settings prove disappointingly pallid, but Levine handles his noir elements-especially his serpentine villains-with panache (though at times with too much of an Elmore Leonard-like spin). Though not Jake's finest, overall this outing should satisfy his fans. (Jan.)