New York City homicide detective Lenny Bliss's biggest mistake wasn't bungee-jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. The mistake was handing his gun to the previous jumper, a young Chinese girl: she's gone. Bliss's wife has a successful career as a stand-up comic (often using him for material), but for Bliss work is serious. A young Off-Broadway actor has been found dead on stage; Bliss's partner, Ward, is out of commission, reeling from having been shot by a druggie --and now an unstable young woman has disappeared with Bliss's gun. Bob Sloan's street-smart plot, full of jump-cut scenes and colorful New York atmosphere, follows Bliss as he frantically tries to track down Li-Jung while also investigating murder suspects. Why are the dead man's very rich parents acting strangely? What motives are the other members of the theater troupe hiding--the poetic Wolf, haunted by Vietnam memories; the director Katrina, with her obsessive videotaping; the seductive Constance, who harbors a secret and seems bent on distracting Bliss from his job? Meantime Li-Jung, a walking time bomb of rage and loneliness, waits for the right moment to use her unexpected new power. When a nothing-to-lose ex-cop picks her up in his cab and sees a way to make some blackmail money, events come together fast in a tense and satisfying conclusion.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Bob Sloan is the author of several cookbooks and a previous mystery, Bliss. He lives in New York City.
How much weirdness can befall one New York City cop? Stressed to the max, Lenny Bliss (first seen in Bliss) bungees off the Brooklyn Bridge late one night. For safety's sake, he hands his gun to Li-Jung, a tattooed cook and fellow jumper. She takes off with Bliss's gun and, unhappy with her past history with men, decides to take out a few of them. Bliss wants his gun back in a hurry. He also wants his partner, Ward, back on duty. Ward has caught a slug, and now seems filled with messianic fervor. Lenny's wife, Rachel, meanwhile, has forged a standup career making fun of her life with Lenny, and now Clint Eastwood wants to talk movie deals. Then there are the odd doings surrounding a bizarre avant-garde acting group. One young thespian is found murdered and the rest of the company seem intent on using his death as a means for improvisation. The young man has a prissy stepfather, a rich mother and a desirable (to Bliss, at least) aunt, all cavalierly unconcerned with his demise. Then a scriptwriter dies. And just as Lenny gets close to Li-Jung, she enters the fetid taxicab of DeWayne, a crooked ex-cop and a multiple loserAwho has a plan. There's no shortage of offbeat crime yarns out there, but ones that work on every level are extremely rare. This one does. Lenny Bliss is a pip of a creation; he's goofy and likable and moral and confused all at once. His world is a sublimely silly and scary one that requires quick, if not always linear, thinking. Lenny Bliss is clearly the man for the job, and this is the book for the mystery reader who's looking for something fresh and strong. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Paperback. Condition: NEW. Paperback. New York City homicide detective Lenny Bliss's biggest mistake wasn't bungee-jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. The mistake was handing his gun to the previous jumper, a young Chinese girl: she's gone. Bliss's wife has a successful career as a stand-up comic (often using him for material), but for Bliss work is serious. A young Off-Broadway actor has been found dead on stage; Bliss's partner, Ward, is out of commission, reeling from having been shot by a druggie --and now an unstable young woman has disappeared with Bliss's gun. Bob Sloan's street-smart plot, full of jump-cut scenes and colorful New York atmosphere, follows Bliss as he frantically tries to track down Li-Jung while also investigating murder suspects. Why are the dead man's very rich parents acting strangely? What motives are the other members of the theater troupe hiding--the poetic Wolf, haunted by Vietnam memories; the director Katrina, with her obsessive videotaping; the seductive Constance, who harbors a secret and seems bent on distracting Bliss from his job? Meantime Li-Jung, a walking time bomb of rage and loneliness, waits for the right moment to use her unexpected new power. When a nothing-to-lose ex-cop picks her up in his cab and sees a way to make some blackmail money, events come together fast in a tense and satisfying conclusion. Sloan's street-smart plot follows New York City homicide detective Lenny Bliss as he races to find the dangerously angry young woman who has stolen his gun, while at the same time he investigates the puzzling death of an off-Broadway actor. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780393321142
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