Manlike creature provides thrills

"Runaway Heart," by Stephen J. Cannell; St. Martin's Press. $24.95.

By Carol Deegan
Associated Press

"Runaway Heart" is the brand of thriller you'd expect from Stephen J. Cannell, the writer-producer-creator of such TV hits as "The Rockford Files," "Wiseguy" and "The Commish," and author of "Hollywood Tough."

No pretty-boy heroes here.

Herman Strockmire Jr. is a 50-ish lawyer with a bad heart and a weakness for lost causes. His latest: the monarch butterfly, which is on the verge of extinction thanks to biologically enhanced foods.

When one of his employees is murdered, Strockmire hires former Los Angeles cop Jack Wirta to investigate.

Wirta isn't a guy who backs down from a fight, but his Achilles' heel is an old back injury — and an addiction to painkillers.

Added to the mix is Strockmire's beautiful daughter, Susan, who is helping her father with the case; Miro, who runs a gay male dating service in the building where Wirta has his office; and Roland Minton, a 22-year-old computer hacker with purple hair.

Strockmire's isn't the only heart set racing as Minton is decapitated and shredded by a manlike creature that climbs 30 floors up the side of a building to accomplish its mission. (Check your pulse after reading these scenes.)

What is this creature? An alien from outer space or something far more sinister — a chimera designed as a merciless killing machine to replace humans in combat? The story goes through several twists and turns, ending in a fierce battle in the desert with the hybrid soldiers.

Cannell has a talent for creating interesting characters, believable dialogue and roller-coaster thrills. Readers will mourn Minton's death and cheer Miro's heroism. Despite its feel-good ending, this is an exciting, fun read.