An Eye for Justice

This third anthology from the Private Eye Writers of America (after The Eyes Have It and Mean Streets ), has a baker's dozen original stories from some very big names. Unfortunately, most of the work isn't from the authors' top drawers. Among the more presentable are Loren D. Estleman's ``State of Grace,'' featuring sleazy Ralph Poteet (not Amos Walker) in a funny attack on religious hypocrisy; Arthur Lyons's ``Dead Copy,'' with medium-boiled Jacob Asch taking on the Mob and a bent newsman; and Bill Pronzini's ``Incident in a Neighborhood Tavern,'' a neat exercise for the Nameless Detective. The one female eye (Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone in ``Non Sung Smoke'') is interesting but far above her material. Working at less than their peak are Max Allan Collins, Michael Collins, Wayne D. Dundee, Rob Kantner, Robert J. Randisi, James M. Reasoner and L. J. Washburn. John Lutz and Josh Pachter and their tec Alo Nudger should be embarrassed by ``DDS lo752 Libra.'' George C. Chesbro (Mongo in ``Candala'') seems so far gone in psycho-babble he probably is beyond embarrassment. Richard S. Prather's introduction is soft-boiled at best. Strictly for genre fans. (August)