Shock to the System: A Donald Strachey Mystery

In the sixth Donald Strachey mystery (after Ice Blues), Albany, N.Y.'s gay PI confronts a psychologist who feels obligated to ``cure'' those homosexuals wishing to mend their errant ways. Did Dr. Crockwell, in fact, go so far as to murder former patient Paul Haig, or was the lad offed by ex-boyfriend Larry? Haig's dipso mama favors the latter theory, while the police are ruling the death a suicide. Mom, the shrink and the ex alternate between pestering Strachey to unravel the tangled web and insisting that he mind his own business. But this hotbed of guilty secrets stays only lukewarm, kept tepid by Stevenson's by-the-numbers plotting and lackluster characterization. Despite Strachey's customary wry humor and engaging at-home scenes with lover Timmy, readers may wish that the shock of the title had added some more spark to Stevenson's tale. (Dec.)