The Alzhammer, or Keep Your Friends Close and... I Forget the Other Part

In this quirky noir from Di Prisco (All for Now), San Francisco gang lord Vincent Festagiacamo is dying of Alzheimer’s disease. His son, Mikey, now the acting gang chieftain, detects early symptoms of what he calls “the Alzhammer” in himself; he’s determined to cheat the disease by ending his own life. Meanwhile, a rival gang headed by the mysterious Mr. Smith threatens to take over the Festagiacamos’ territory. Mikey’s sense of honor demands that he settle with Mr. Smith before leaving the planet. Eventually, Mikey and his ex, Zayana, wind up hiding out in a retirement home, surrounded by real Alzheimer’s patients. The book’s comic aspects, most notably the malapropisms of Mikey’s crew, jar with the wrenching portrayals of advanced Alzheimer’s patients. Some readers will be amused. Others may feel uncomfortable or even offended. Agent: Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli, JET Literary Associates. (Mar.)