A FATHER'S AFFAIR

Dutch novelist Van Loon's American debut is a whodunit with an irresistible twist: Armin Minderhout, a widower in his 30s with a 13-year-old son, learns that he has been sterile all his life. A doctor breaks the news to Armin after he and his girlfriend, Ellen, endure a battery of tests to find out why she can't get pregnant. The revelation is numbing; Armin's late wife, Monika, who died suddenly 10 years ago at the age of 25, was the love of his life. After deciding not to tell his son, Bo, Armin tries to figure out who could have been Bo's father. The first suspect, a former boyfriend and fatuous consultant named Robbert Hubeek, taunts Armin by describing his interlude with the pregnant Monika in detail. Armin gets enough information to eliminate Robbert from his list, and he also rules out Monika's doctor as a suspect. He seemingly hits pay dirt when he tracks down one of Monika's friends, Niko Neerinckx, and finds a photo of Monika in Niko's family album. But his meeting with Niko's wife touches off a fierce fight with Ellen, leading Armin deep into his own family history and eventually to an even more shocking discovery. Van Loon tells the story through dialogue and flashbacks as Armin retraces his courtship and marriage to Monika; his romance with Ellen, who had been a friend of Monika's; and his close relationship with his parents throughout the upheaval. The inventive story line and the stunning ending combine to make this book a winner. (Apr.)