ECHOES OF ZERO

by Ross H. Spencer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 20, 1981

Paperback writer Spencer (The Reggis Arms Caper and other mystery-comedies) hops over into hardcover with a fast-reading flicker of likable, racy nonsense about 49-year-old Chicago reporter Rip Deston--an ex-ballplayer who's suspicious about the death of his beloved, longtime mentor Martin Bannister, retired owner of the Globe. Convinced that Bannister's young mistress Eloise Henderson pushed him off the roof, Rip investigates her stripper/gold-digger background and indulges in some yellow journalism. Nevertheless, Eloise is acquitted--and soon thereafter she lures Rip to a smalltown rendezvous, seduces him, swears her innocence (Bannister was a suicide, she says), tells Rip that Bannister was really his father (!), and then leads Rip to believe that she herself is his own daughter (!!). To disprove this, Rip must visit his old, longlost flame. . . yet when he again decides to nail Eloise, she has still another trick twist ready. Thoroughly foolish and completely forgettable--but Rip's off-the-cuff, shorthand narration (two-page chapters, repartee with floozy Clancy, his 24-year bedmate) makes this a breezily painless little one-hour diversion.

Pub Date: Aug. 20, 1981

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1981

Categories: FICTION