Finnegan's Week

Wambaugh ( Fugitive Nights ) is at the top of his form here and probably destined for another visit to the bestseller lists. His cop characters are marvelous as usual, deftly characterized in dialogue, attitude (much of it political this time, as the setting is last year's presidential election) and behavior. Even tertiary characters, whether good guys or bad, are skillfully drawn. The villain of the piece is Jules Temple, the son of a wealthy lawyer who takes up the toxic waste business after being disinherited. In Mexico, two of Temple's truck drivers dump a shipment of a lethal pesticide and then decide to rob the Navy base where they were supposed to make a pickup. This brings matters to the attention of an unlikely threesome: Nell Salter, a DA Investigator into environmental crimes; Bobbie Ann Doggett, a young Navy command investigator; and Finbar Finnegan, a San Diego police detective who'd rather be an actor. The women, each in her own way, almost make Fin forget the thrice-married misery of his past. It's a raunchy and often hilarious tale as Fin, Nell and Bobbie Ann try to sort things out until justice is finally served up in a most fitting manner. 300,000 first printing; major ad/promo; BOMC alternate; author tour. (Oct.)