Note: ALMOST ANY BOOK THAT WINS THE PWA/ST. MARTINS PRESS BEST FIRST PRIVATE EYE NOVEL CONTEST IS A SURE BET--Les Roberts(An Infanate Number of Monkeys), and Steve Hamilton(A Cold Day In Paradise).

Santa Fe resident Ariel Lowell pleads with her father, private investigator Tony Lowell, to leave the Florida Gulf Coast and come to New Mexico on a visit. Tony immediately drops everything and laves for the southwest because he will do anything he can for his beloved daughter.

In Santa Fe, Tony learns that Ariel, based on some New Age razzle-dazzle wants him to look for a missing friend, Alicia Sandoval. With the help of a sleuthing peer and some weirdo mystic, Tony begins his search. He soon learns that Alicia's former spouse Danny Lopez has been stalking the missing woman and that his previous wife's bones have only recently been discovered in the nearby mountains. However, none of the natives take Danny, a vicious individual, seriously because a man has to do what a man has to do. This leaves it up to Tony and his cohorts to keep Alicia safe.

The fourth Tony Lowell mystery, LAIR OF THE LIZARD, has some great strengths and a major weakness. The readers have an opportunity to observe Tony struggle with a different culture and gain insight into his relationship with his flighty daughter. The case is well designed, relevant, and interesting. The interactions between the prime players (Tony and his team, Ariel, Alicia, and Danny) keep the essence of their character intact. Though E.C. Ayres shows he is a talented mystery writer, his novel falls short with his portrayal of every Santa Fe resident refusing to accept the obvious fact that Danny is a dangerous lunatic. Still, this is a very good entry in a fine series.

Harriet Klausner