SHUTOUT

by David F. Nighbert ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 20, 1995

Don't be fooled by the baseball title: The only clean sweep never-been former fastballer Bull Cochran's involved in this time is a vendetta against cop-girlfriend Molly Flanagan's family back in the hills of Tennessee. It doesn't start out looking that way: From the moment Bull and Molly arrive at the family homestead to find the caretaker fending off a mysterious intruder, and Molly's uncle Dewey committed for close observation after shooting at his brother Darrell, it seems that the four Flanagan brothers -- Dewey, Darrell, Duncan, and Molly's dying father, Donald -- have more than enough bad blood between them, especially since Dewey's trying to prevent the others from selling off Shamrock Coffee, one of the family's biggest assets. The potential buyer is an Atlanta developer -- and some of the brothers are clearly willing to stoop to anything to make the deal go their way. But after Dewey apparently slits bis wrists with a plastic fork (some close observation, huh?) and Darrell's run down by a hit-and-run driver, it's obvious that somebody is playing both sides of the family feud against each other -- till peaceable Bull (Squeezeplay, 1992, etc.), who can't even shoot straight, has to take matters into his own lethal hands. Colorful characters, all right, and a story that moves with businesslike speed -- though it's all leavened with dollops of penny-dreadful fantasy: a Faulknerian grudge, a secret room with a chest full of gold, an endless chase through family caves. Zowie.

Pub Date: March 20, 1995

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 320

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1995

Categories: FICTION