Comfort Me with Spies

Appleton Porter, 67, can't tolerate liquor or pain, and he blushes easily. Added to these disadvantages, the would-be secret agent for British Intelligence habitually falls in love, usually with ladies of easy virtue. But the chief of operations orders Apple to Canada, against all logic, to compete in wrestling matches with a suspected terrorist, ``Bull Massive.'' The incidents that follow segue into outright nuttiness, starring weakling Apple as ``Silver Flash''--winning bouts he's not supposed to, becoming the darling of rowdy audiences and a target for betrayal by sexy Agnes de Grace, a counterspy. What finally happens makes no more sense than any other aspects of the plot, but is fast and vivid, and fans of Lovell's ( Comfort Me with Spies ) numerous espionage burlesques will appreciate Apple's antics. (June)