Identity: Lost

Bad writing and a ludicrous plot mar Marco's debut thriller. In 2005, Stan Kobe, known as Maricopa (Ariz.) County's most ruthless prosecutor, snaps when, at a friendly barbecue, his close friend homicide detective Brian Hanley shows him a baseball bat that Hanley says was used to set a home-run record. Kobe's reaction is so extreme that he pulls his family away from the celebration without explanation. The middle of the book consists of an extended flashback to 1975 that gives the backstory behind Kobe's freak-out, which won't be much of a surprise given the too-revealing prologue. The final third returns to 2005 for an over-the-top windup. A violent conclusion featuring gang members and an African-American senator from Illinois believed to be a viable candidate for the White House reads like bad David Baldacci, replete with clich%C3%A9d situations. (June)