Vaporized

This ambitious, lively, but character-clogged rock 'n' roll mystery charts the course of two rival immigrant families%E2%80%94the Iranian Monsouris and the Italian Pecorinos%E2%80%94in New York City in 1982. Caught in the middle of this family feud is rock musician Jon Cells. After getting busted for drug possession, Cells finds himself on probation and forced to work at the Monsouris' Laden Imports perfume factory. But by night, Cells frequents the Black Sheep, a staple of the downtown music scene, owned by the Pecorinos. Meanwhile, the United States Customs Bureau is watching the Monsouris' perfume factory for irregularities, while also keeping an eye on the Pecorinos%E2%80%94believed to be mixed up in the drug trade. The novel finally gets underway when Princess Tears, a perfume spiked with heroin, is stolen from the Monsouris, and all clues point to the Pecorinos. Unfortunately, Levine isn't able to keep all the balls in the air; Cells fades into the background and the novel dissolves into cacophony.