Old Gang of Mine

The old gang refers to several residents of Coral Sands, a retirement community in Florida who are concerned about certain strange events: like the disappearance of silverware and jewelry, and, most of all, the deaths of three people, who apparently died from unnatural causes. The elderly sleuths prove quite capable at uncovering the truth. But then again, one is a former jewel thief and another had ties to the New York mob. West, who is himself a retired computer programmer and author of Crystal Clear, vividly captures the daily routine of the retirees, with their ailments, complaints and petty concerns; and West's dialogue is often snappy (special thanks are accorded to Henny Youngman ""for his cooperation on this work""). But however appealing the characters of this new series may be, the plot is weak and most readers will have figured out who the so-called bad guys are long before the end of the book. (Sept.)