Wolf Tones

Weinman's baggy third novel features Ethan Baum, a novelist who moves from Boston to Albuquerque to take a teaching post. Divorced and afflicted by writer's block, Ethan's a bit down on his luck and in one night manages to catch the eye of Lucy Evans, the 46-year-old star writer-in-residence; get drunk; and get fired by Dr. Will Dixon, his new boss and Lucy's husband. Ethan decides to stay in Albuquerque and pursue an affair with Lucy. Their tryst induces problems with Lucy's daughter and, naturally, Will, who also happens to be a fan of child pornography. While Weinman is adept at capturing the picturesque Southwest, the people living there never snap to life, and the narrative's lack of direction is exacerbated by its turgid prose. (Mar.)