cover image East Beach

East Beach

Ron Ely. Simon & Schuster, $21 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-671-87281-6

Introduced in Night Shadows, Jake Sands is a cynical, scarred Vietnam veteran in his mid 40s, still grieving for his wife, son and unborn baby, victims of a killer whose real target had been himself. Although he had determined to do no more investigating, the superbly athletic Santa Barbara resident can't resist probing the beating murder of a friendly beach bunny/waitress named Julie. Eventually he connects her death to a winning ticket in the California lottery, with a $40-million prize gone unclaimed until a lawyer representing a five-man betting syndicate steps forward. The search for Julie's killer draws Jake, who holds Gingrichian views of the criminal justice system, into games of strenuous beach volleyball with a ruthless and domineering Australian and two other extraordinary athletes. After more murders, including those of three lottery syndicate members, a burst of vigilantism ends this contrived tale that dwells too long on Jake's tragedy and the impoverished beach culture. Ely, a former actor, writes authoritatively, but his talents aren't fully displayed in Jake.(Mar.)