Hair-trigger

Populated by cons, strippers, and hoods, Clark's (Dragging the River) third novel makes no attempt to air-brush this portrait of life in Toronto. The book begins with Derek Rowe, high, negotiating a phone call from the cops, and relentlessly follows the book-store manager become bank-robber through a series of violent and/or sexy misadventures. The author focuses on Derek, Jack Lofton, and Robert O'Hara, who roar around looking to get by, get high, and get laid. The pared-down narrative style does not detract from the complexity of the anti-heroes; Derek, for example, can be a good guy%E2%80%94he wingmans for Jack to great effect%E2%80%94but any affection for this character must include a tolerance for ceaseless racism and ruthless womanizing. Whether he is stalking a woman down the streets at night or picking "na%C3%AFfs" up in bars, Derek appears to be a man obsessed. Happily, this provides the author with the setting for the most sparklingly brilliant episode of social commentary in the novel, Clark's obvious fort%C3%A9. Unflinching, unapologetic and fast-paced, the book switches effortlessly through unreliable narrators, demanding that the reader parse truth from fiction, good from bad, right from wrong. (Apr.)