Castles Burning

From the dust jacket: In his creation of Jacob Asch-a Jewish detective working in and out of Los Angeles-Arthur Lyons has established himself as one of today's brightest new authors of detective fiction. THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW has written of his work: "The very composite of the species, genus Californiensis," Sydney Sheldon has called it "...hard-hitting and realistic, with the flavor of a modern Raymond Chandler." The plush, sybaritic world of Palm Springs is the scene of this new Jacob Asch mystery. A young Los Angeles artist hires Asch to track down the wife he deserted years ago and the infant son he left her with, to make amends now that he is successful. Asch finds her in Palm Springs, remarried to a wealthy businessman, and learns that the boy was killed in a car crash with his mother behind the wheel. The case would seem to be closed, but when the teenage son of her second marriage is kidnapped for ransom and, simultaneously, Asch's client disappears, Ash finds himself embroiled in a very different situation. The trail Asch takes up leads him through the extremes of Palm Springs life-trailer camps and millionaire homes on Frank Sinatra Drive; elegant clubs and fast food eateries; orgiastic teenage pot parties and enervated sun-worshipping by retired moguls-all against a twisting, driving story packed with the expertise of criminal detection and manhunt (including the step-be-step details of an FBI-engineered ransom "drop"). It is a colorfully rendered, consistently gripping tale, the most exciting and accomplished Jacob Asch novel yet.


Genre: Mystery