Tightrope

In this breathtakingly fast-paced, snappily written thriller, White depicts three Vietnam veterans immersed in crime, and two gruff but likable detectives who diligently stalk them through both the dilapidated and the ostentatious neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Lars ""Wolf'' Morgan, a homicidal opportunist, plans to commandeer a fortune in diamonds due to arrive in America from Vietnam. He enlists two former Vietnam comrades: high-priced hustler Toby Reardon, and Devlin Conway, an acclaimed photographer. The debauched trio vie for the jewels with affluent drug kingpin Papa D., as well as with rapacious members of L.A.'s Vietnamese community. When Morgan starts murdering his foes, the killings come to the attention of detectives Blue Maguire, a wealthy Vietnam vet, and ``Spaceman'' Kowalski, whose problems include his morose teenage son. As the action builds to a climactic showdown between Morgan's group and their rivals, Maguire also works on a personal dilemmaidentifying the person making cryptic, anonymous phone calls to him. White (Bleeding Hearts highlights the suspenseful tale with ironic wit and sharply edged characterizations; it is bursting with mayhem and surprises galore. (June 16)