Carl Hiaasen fans will enjoy Fagan’s tongue-in-cheek first novel, a series launch set on Cape Cod. Three years after Pepper Ryan was kicked off the New Albion, Mass., police force following a botched drug stakeout, he receives a second chance. Pepper’s return to duty coincides with the discovery of a bizarre crime—beachcombers find the body of Arnold Keser buried in the sand, under a tarp. Keser was shot and then steamed to death in a clambake, with a red starfish left on the corpse. The Secret Service reveals to the New Albion PD that the dead man was one of theirs, assigned to do advance security work before President Wayne Garby’s vacation in the vicinity—and that they’re taking seriously a recently received death threat to POTUS, which features a drawing in red of a starfish and signed “R.I.P. Garby. U took my candy!” Pepper, who ends up as the liaison to the feds, races frantically to prevent the assassination. Fagan manages the impressive feat of balancing suspense and humor. (BookLife)