Donnie Brasco: Deep Cover

After the success of Pistone's bestselling story of his six years as an undercover FBI agent (Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia), the agent turned writer has taken a stab at fiction. And, for the most part, he hits the mark. This fast-paced story takes Pistone's real-life adventures as a point of departure: a Mafia contract on ""Brasco's"" life forces him back undercover. This time, he finds himself investigating political corruption in south Florida. Before long, his life is threatened not only by mobsters but by a hurricane. While his prose is simplistic at times and his descriptions can be a bit clunky, Pistone's dialogue shines, giving credibility to the characters, including two mysterious widows, a pack of Cuban-refugee misfits and the FBI's own colorful lineup of assumed-identity players. All are presented with a sense of humor that would make Carl Hiaasen proud. Pistone apparently still hasn't had his fill of the writing life: the book's conclusion leaves the main character wide open for a sequel. (Apr.)