Books: No Escape

WINTER MEETING—Ethel Vance—Little, Brown ($2.50).

Stacy was a born fixer. When Lieut. "Slick" Novak, submarine commander and U.S. Hero No. 1, came to Manhattan on leave, Stacy fixed a little dinner party. He sat Slick next to full-blown Peggy Markham. Just to make it look like a foursome, Stacy also invited Poetess Susan Grieve, who was unpoetically cold and prim. Stacy ordered lots of drinks, and soon Slick and Peggy were giving each other appraising glances in the manner of "two cobras raising their heads from the grass." Stacy hastily whistled up a taxi for them. Then, suddenly, everything misfired; poor Stacy...