title: Springer's Gambit: A Cole Springer Mystery
author:  W. L. Ripley 
description: Mystery veteran Ripley, author of the Wyatt Storme series, has a winning new hero in Cole Springer, smart-mouthed, piano-playing Aspen saloonkeeper and wily former Secret Service agent. With a keen ear for cop and criminal patois, and a penetrating eye for ironic personal foibles both reminiscent of Elmore Leonard Ripley puts the reader right in the middle of this conflict of tough guys hopelessly out of place in the pristine ski resort town. When mob money-launderer Max Shapiro is diagnosed with terminal cancer and only six weeks to live, he comes up with a plan that redefines assisted suicide: he tells San Francisco wiseguy wannabe Nicky Tortino that he won't be paying him off anymore. Fortunately (or in this case, unfortunately), the doctor has made a mistake, and Max is going to live at least until Nicky's boys get their hands on him. Hiding out in Aspen, Max and his girlfriend, Suzi Carr, persuade Springer, short on cash and with his bar facing foreclosure, to protect him. Max soon begins to wonder if maybe he'd be better off dead, as Springer's sharp tongue and unpredictability are wearing. State, federal and local police including Tobi Ryder and "FBI lounge lizard" Jack Summers, bickering ex-lovers assigned to Max's case become involved when killers of varying degrees of accomplishment begin arriving from the coast to finish Max off, but Springer has a plan to deal their way out. Ripley creates some colorful characters most of whom dislike one another and provides them with enough history to keep them interesting. Plenty of politically incorrect wisecracking and a suspenseful, fast-moving plot suggest that this will be the first of many entertaining outings for Cole Springer. (June) <br />Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  _The Wolf at Bay  
  _ By Charlie Adhara
  
  
  Going home digs up bad memories, so it’s something Bureau of Special
  Investigations agent Cooper Dayton tries to avoid. When he’s guilted into a
  visit, Cooper brings along Oliver Park, his hot new werewolf partner, in the
  hopes the trip will help clarify their status as a couple...or not.
  
  
  When Park’s keen shifter nose uncovers a body in the yard and Cooper’s father
  is the prime suspect, Cooper knows they’re on their own. Familial involvement
  means no sanctioned investigation. They’ll need to go rogue and solve the
  mystery quietly or risk seeing Cooper’s dad put behind bars.
  
  
  The case may be cold, but Park and Cooper’s relationship heats up as they
  work. And yet if Cooper can’t figure out what’s going on between them outside
  of the bedroom, he’ll lose someone he... Well, he can’t quite put into words
  how he feels about Park. He know