Flight of the Fox

One day in the near future, mathematics professor Sam Teagarden, the hero of this intriguing if cumbersome thriller from Basnight (The Cop with the Pink Pistol), receives a file containing “a series of encoded entries handwritten in an old spiral notebook” from FBI archives librarian Stuart Shelbourn. Dating from decades ago, the entries have never been deciphered, and Stuart thinks Sam, who once worked for the CIA as a cryptologist, might like to take a crack at them. Soon afterward, Sam survives a drone attack on his home in Bethel, N.Y., and flees to New York City, where he’s hunted by cops and eventually becomes the target of three black ops agents. Meanwhile, Sam figures out that he possesses an explosive cache of letters from FBI agent Clyde Tolson, the reputed lover of J. Edgar Hoover, to the FBI director. In the first chapter, Basnight hints strongly at the shameful secrets revealed in the letters. He also telegraphs the likely outcome of Sam’s showdown with the black ops agents. The execution falls short of the high concept, but Jason Bourne fans will have some fun. (July)