Dallas Drop

Abshire, a 21-year member of the Dallas police force and later a private detective, might have been expected to use that experience to bring something new to the private eye novel, but Dallas Drop , while stylish and well paced, is very much the same old yarn. Jack Kyle is the traditional hard-boiled operative: middle-aged, divorced, broke and cynical. The caper in which he becomes involved is in keeping with the modern trend, dealing with political intrigue, the CIA and drugs rather than family secrets and larcenous hoodlums. Kyle is hired by his former boss, police lieutenant Brendan O'Bannion, to carry out a mysterious mission after O'Bannion is suspended from the Dallas force for shooting a man. It's an unusual situation: O'Bannion is the man who ruined Kyle's career in the first place, even while having an affair with Kyle's wife and eventually marrying her. A rogue CIA operative soon complicates the matter, which involves Latin American politics. There's murder, of course, and beautiful women galore, including ex-wife Betty, sultry Latin American mystery woman Pilar and ditzy receptionist Della (all of whom have a delightful propensity for shedding their clothing at every opportunity). Fans of the genre will probably find this a satisfying, but not wildly original caper. (May)