DEAD RINGER

by Arthur Lyons ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 15, 1977

Jake Asch--one of Lew Archer's closest threats--is back, hired by 60-ish (but blonde and brassy) madam Susan Mezzano to prevent her other investment, sweetly moronic heavyweight Carlos Realongo, from sparring with gross Mr. Mezzano (""If there was a crack in the wall, he'd suck it"")--who's busy streamlining their Reno, Nevada, whorehouse into a ""Fur Burger King."" Asch apparently fails, since Realongo is found dead at the Moonfire ""Ranch,"" shot in supposed self-defense by a hulking Mezzano henchman (""his I.Q. and his temperature hovered around the same spot""). Since Mezzano virtually owns the county, Asch runs into considerable police brutality while detecting. And there's considerable brutality too in Lyons' dialogue and humor (""no use flogging a dead whore""), but it's expertly timed and absolutely appropriate to the brothel/prizefight milieu so briskly captured in this solid but unexceptional addition to the Asch canon.

Pub Date: Dec. 15, 1977

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Mason/Charter

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1977

Categories: FICTION