Floaters

Who else but Joseph Wambaugh could write "a joy, a hoot, a riot of a book" thatis also acclaimed as "one of this season's best crime novels"? That's how "The New York Times Book Review" and "Time," respectively, describedhis last novel, "Finnegan's Week." Nobody writes a faster, funnier, moresatisfying tale of cops and criminals, the high life and lowlifes thanWambaugh--and "Floaters" is his sharpest yet.

Mick Fortney and his partner Leeds manage to cruise above the standard policestress-pools of coffee and Pepto-Bismol--they're water cops in the "Club HarborUnit, " manning a patrol boat on San Diego's Mission Bay. A typically roughday's detail consists of scoping out body-sculpted beauties on pleasure craft, rescuing boating bozos who've run aground, jeering at lifeguards, and haulingin the occasional floater who comes to the surface.

But now their days are anything but typical, because the America's Cupinternational sailing regattas have come to town and suddenly San Diego isswarming with yacht crazies of every nationality, the cuppies who want to lovethem, and the looky-look tourists, racing spies, scam artists, and hookers whoall want their piece of the action. It's the outstanding body and jauntysmile--full of mischief, full of hell--of one cuppie, a particularly fieryredhead named Blaze, that gets Leeds and Fortney's attention. First Leedsdrowns in frustratingly unrequited boozy love from afar. Then, with herincreasingly odd behavior, Blaze tweaks every one of their cop instincts, alerting them that something's not quite right on the waterfront.

Indeed, Blaze will soon lead Detective Anne Zorn and Mick Fortney along abizarre criminal trail that would be hilarious if itdidn't wind up just asnasty as it gets, with a pair of murders right on the eve of the biggestsailing race of all.

Filled with all of Joseph Wambaugh's trademark skills--laugh-out-loud writing, crackling dialogue, outrageous excitement, and, of course, plenty of raunchyveteran cops who leap off the page-- "Floaters" is Wambaugh at the very topof his form.

Praise for Joseph Wambaugh's "Finnegan's Week":

"A master storyteller...Wambaugh dazzles." -- Digby Diehl, "Playboy"

"Funny, exciting, and ultimately touching." -- "Chicago Tribune"

"One of the best novels Joseph Wambaugh has written...Wambaugh is in rareform." -- "San Francisco Chronicle"

"Wambaugh is at the top of his form here...raunchy and often hilarious."-- "Publishers Weekly" (starred review)