No Special Hurry

With his second novel, Colbert fulfills the promise of his praised debut in Profit and Sheen. This impeccably written mystery is enhanced by the ambience of New Orleans, exotic characters and the strange experiences affecting the protagonist Tony Curbel. Formerly Antonio Curbelo from Honduras, Curbel's effective first-person narration intensifies the injustice of his imprisonment on false charges. Curbel is freed when a mocking, outre figure known only as Skinny arrives with orders that make him an undercover agent (a euphemism for informant) investigating his own family. Skinny declares that Tony's father and uncle operate a scam that brings illegal aliens from Central America and steers them into jobs in slavery-like conditions. Tony, as their accountant, has been unwittingly laundering the profits from the dirty business. When Tony meets Stacey Veldran, a longtime Curbelo employee, he feels more like a staked goat than Skinny's secret ally, escaping narrowly from repeated attacks on his life. The story unfolds gradually while Tony learns secrets about his heritage and the imminent danger to his father, whom Tony resolves to save, despite the deep gulf between them. Readers will be stunned by the power of this provocative novel. (August)