THE IRON GLOVE

This time out, aging Indianapolis p.i. ""Deets"" Shanahan (The Stone Veil, The Steel Web) is hired to dig up evidence that young boxer Emilio Ramirez didn't kill Senator Holland's do-gooder wife Sally in his apartment, then set her adrift in the river. Deets believes in Emilio's innocence but has trouble finding the proof--forensics has blood and skin samples from Emilio's place, and his father-figure manager admits that he quietly removed the dead Sally from the apartment and floated it away. Holland's alibi, meanwhile, seems airtight; but could his political rival be responsible, or his mistress--wealthy and anxious-to-wed Jamie Brothewaite? Elizabeth, the Hollands' daughter, seems mighty uncomfortable around her dad, but it's her diary that seems sure to sink Emilio: It mentions his many outings with Elizabeth and her mother. With some assistance from bartender friend Harry, plus legwork from an alcoholic ex-cop, Deets puts together clues in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, New York, and D.C., then nails Sally's real murderer--but not before some smarmy facts come to light and her in-laws make a major error in judgment. A modestly clever puzzle, but the book's strength (typical of Tierney's work) is the warm, appealing byplay between Deets and his lady friend Maureen.