The Chinese Oxymoron

At the start of this good-natured caper there's no apparent connection between insurance heiress Minikin Small and scientist Will Grow. Minikin is settling her late father's estate in New York, where Grow is perfecting a nuclear X-ray laser beam for the U.S. government. One night he is chased into Minikin's East Side townhouse and killed by two Chinese thugs. Several coincidences involve Minikin in insuring the Guarneri violin that will accompany a Chinese prodigy (Minikin's houseboy's cousin) on a world tour. Soon we learn the violin holds, on a microdot, the only existing plans for the X-ray and that a mysterious Chinese agent, a master of disguise and overfond of wordplay, is directing an international espionage plot. Lots of action, much trekking around New York and more killings occur before a couple of switcheroos lead to resolution. Characterization and the early '80s Cold War setting are a bit thin, and Pierce delivers a couple of howlers--such as putting a curtain on Carnegie Hall's stage. Nevertheless this is a cheerful romp. (Nov.)