WINTER LOSSES

A somber, brooding, and intriguing first novel about integrity, corporate takeovers, middle-age, fathers, sons and estrangement. Philip Kreg, longtime loner, well-known constitutional scholar and lawyer, is a man whose cold life is warmed chiefly by the glow of his principles. With both his alcoholic ex-wife and his over-30 son Adam living on the West Coast, Kreg travels a regular triangle between his office, his large and rambling Upper West Side apartment, and his house in Connecticut, where he's occasionally joined by Iris Minto, an on-again, off-again lover. Now, while caught in a tricky takeover deal, in which the possibility of self-interest looms ever-present, and half-heartedly jockeying for position as his firm expands, Kreg is contacted by Adam's employer. Van Atta, an arms dealer, is looking for Adam, who has helped himself to one million of his boss's cash. Kreg, wondering why he does (but never doubting that he will), takes on responsibility for Adam--and finds himself negotiating for his son's life. Altogether, Probst, a one-time assistant D.A., currently at a brokerage, draws a knowledgeable, intimate and compelling portrait of both the financial and moral landscapes that Kreg inhabits.