by Rick Boyer ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 29, 1987
Boyer's adventures for ""Doc"" Charlie Adams (The Daisy Ducks, etc.) work hard at moving beyond conventional mystery plots, and this new one is no exception: the mild-mannered oral surgeon from Concord, Mass., now manages to get caught up in an action-espionage tangle--far-fetched but oddly cozy and local--featuring a secret super-weapon and FBI/CIA/KGB agents. The Buchanesque doings begin when Doc's pet cat dies in agony, having been shot (it turns out) by a stray bullet of ""Moscow metal"": a radioactive thallium bullet used exclusively by KGB hit-men! Could this be connected to the Boyers' new neighbor, ÉmigrÉ scientist Emil Haszmanay, who has disappeared? It sure could: Doc is soon helping pathetic fugitive Emil, who confesses to being a double-agent--leaking secrets (from his work at a nearby defense lab) to the KGB, but giving primary loyalty to the CIA. Worse yet, while being stalked by KGB assassins, Emil is also the target of a secret mole within the FBI/CIA system. And, worst of all, unless the mole can be unmasked, the new US super-defense computer will probably be hijacked! Doc--sometimes in league with the cops, sometimes on his nervy own--does his best to protect Emil (who is doomed); he suspiciously monitors the behavior of the several US agents who get involved (which one's the mole?); he plays a key role in the action/finale--the attempted railway hijacking. And throughout, thanks to textured characterization, dry humor, and subdued background details, Boyer keeps this early-Hitchcock plot from becoming silly or cartoonish: not for everyone, perhaps, but an appealing blend of Yankee charm and gritty derring-do nonetheless.
Pub Date: June 29, 1987
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1987
Categories: FICTION
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.