The Last Frame

In this hardboiled, inner-city mystery/thriller, Will Carver, a 40-ish cynical freelance photographer for the New York Daily News , buys a hot camera from a pawn shop. The roll of film inside, when processed, reveals shots of a male investment banker indulging in adultery and--what's more--dressed as a woman. Wright (with nary a nod to Chandler) introduces blackmailers who do shoot--cameras and guns. Extremely violent, they try to kill everyone who's been near the pix, with a special focus on Carver. Invoking Weegee, the real-life dean of police photography, as his muse, Carver dodges the thugs and attempts to track down the blackmail victim. Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, we see what motives and pressures make the baddies do what they do. First novelist Wright offers several surprises, gives an illuminating introduction to the world of crime photography and captures a nasty, downtown Manhattan with such accuracy you'll want to wash your hands. (Aug.)