SUDDEN DEATH FINISH

A follow-up adventure for ex-football-star Cam Maccardle (A Cool, Clear Death), now a full-fledged P.I. in South Florida trying to find out who killed young, straight-arrow lawyer Tom Horton, partner in the law firm of Cain's old friend Dick Ellis. Horton's files and diaries provide a number of leads--porno racketeers in Cypress Beach being hassled by a citizens committee determined to put them out of business; a nasty divorce; old Julia Donaldson's endless will changes for her multimillions. Cam works with police Sergeant Chip Ordenez trying to cover all the bases in a series of mostly boring interviews. His idyllic affair with Carole Cummings comes to a tragic end in a murder meant for him, but he wraps things up when the second try comes. The sense of menace that opens the story is soon dissipated with rambling plot and pace; and the sometimes brisk dialogue is padded with too many food and clothing catalogues. Above all hangs the shadow of Travis McGee, who does it better--much better. Halleran can write. Perhaps a totally new direction is in order.