The Bent Hostage

This first novel has an interesting premise: the kidnapping of an American executive in the Dominican Republic, arranged by the executive's own failing corporation in order to collect insurance money. Unfortunately, the tale wavers between action and satire, and the result is unsatisfying on both counts. The jokes run along the lines of low comedy: for instance, the bumbling group arranging the kidnapping goes by the unfortunate acronym FART. Its would-be-revolutionary members are inept with their guns, and their only prior claim to fame is the holdup of a McDonald's. Characters constantly use sex as currency--one young woman with a penchant for screaming ``I'm being raped'' during sex is actually taping the sessions for blackmail, and one female guerrilla is assigned to keep the hostage in bed and stop him from asking questions. Conversely, there is a prostitute who falls in love with her customer and stops charging him. But it is not clear whether Charles's intention is to tell a genuine action tale, a humorous take-off, or a bit of both. (Jan.)