OFF THE CHART

James Hall's latest novel might be more aptly titled "Off the Wall." In this modern-day pirate novel, Vic Joy, a wealthy businessman/gangster turned pirate, hijacks pleasure boats and murders their owners. Inexplicably, Vic is also obsessed with his sister, Anne, whom he hasn't seen for years; he does anything to rid her of her boyfriends, including killing them. A tale like this needs a steady reader, and Gary Littman fits the bill. As usual, Littman reads with a no-nonsense style that focuses on the characters without overdramatizing. In fact, Littman's tone keeps the characters from becoming cartoonish, and the book from dragging, as could happen easily with a story this long and bizarre. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]