Hammer's Eye

Scotti's Kiss of Judas and The Devil's Own gained him an enviable reputation, which he further confirms with this pulse racer. The author's barbed wit offers needed respite from the tense, tragic incidents that pile up as ex-CIA agent Matthias pits himself alone against powerful August Merriman. At age 88, Merriman has been doing business, legally and profitably, with the U.S.S.R. since 1917, after establishing a footing with Lenin. Is the old man now handing over Star Wars to anti-glasnost types in Moscow, as Conrad suspects? Is his politically savvy wife involved in the treachery? Why would Merriman's lovely granddaughter seduce the family's house guest, a real nerd? Because the nerd is a scientific genius with secrets the Soviets want? These questions tantalize Conrad, and he's bound to find the answers, defying the killers who try to stop him. Neither he nor the reader is prepared for the truth that surfaces at the end of a smashing tale. (Adding to the fun is the novel's title, which hints at an eminent prototype for Merriman.) (April)