League of Terror

Eleventh in his November Man series, this snappily paced thriller by Chicago newsman/novelist Granger (Edgar-winner Public Murders ) brings back right-thinking hero Devereaux (code-named ``November''), American intelligence agent for R section, once again waging his feud against arch adversary Henry McGee. Sheer evil terrorist-for-profit McGee blows up a plane in flight, an Irish pub, a London townhouse, and diverts responsibility for his crimes to the IRA; he uses his female accomplices--German Maria, Irish Maureen--for sex and murder, then orders them, too, slain. McGee strikes at Devereaux by savagely wounding both him and his girlfriend, journalist Rita Macklin. Devereaux and Macklin must escape from their hospital rooms--Devereaux rescuing Macklin from the clutches of Dr. Krueger, who keeps her drugged for his own pleasure--and undergo a slow, painful healing. Retired from his job because of so-called brain damage, Devereaux vows to kill McGee as a last gesture. Staccato stylist Granger delivers easy-reading entertainment via plot and counterplot, amusing cartoon villains, and an arsenal of plastique, nerve gas and an ingenious caviar-and-vodka device with lethal capabilities. 30,000 first printing. (Nov.)