'The Big Bamboo'

By Tim Dorsey

William Morrow, $24.95.

Former Tampa Tribune reporter Tim Dorsey writes amusing mysteries set in Florida. In his latest, "The Big Bamboo," the bad guys win again as serial killer/con man Serge Storms leaves his home state for California to kidnap a Hollywood starlet.

The story is reminiscent of O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief": The starlet is unable to drink tap water, she whines and begs for her acting coach.

Dorsey skewers the movie industry a second time in a subplot about two young celebrity seekers who manage to get themselves an invitation to a party, which leads to invitations to other parties. The cool place to be changes with hilarious frequency.

Dorsey is equally sarcastic about journalism. You have to love how one mistake in the copy gets repeated in every subsequent news story. He even manages to make fun of his own writing with sentences such as this: A massive warehouse complex stood in the industrialized outskirts of Tokyo. . . . The area was similar to the rest of Tokyo, but different in slight ways that would be hard to describe by someone who had never been there. — Susan Whitney

'Cat Miscellany'

By Max Cryer

Illustrated by Larry Nielson

John Blake, $14.95.

Some 30 years ago, Larry Nielson, an illustrator who lives in Ephraim, created an image of an arrogant cat (is there any other kind?) and called it "Fat Cat." Nielson turned the image into a poster that received a lot of play all around the country.

Now, Fat Cat has experienced a revival. Nielson's old friend, Max Cryer, an author and talk-show host in New Zealand, wrote this book containing "Fascinating Facts About Cats." Cryer wanted to use Nielson's cat illustrations in his book. The result is this fun little book with Fat Cat plastered all over the cover — and 30 additional Nielson illustrations inside.

Those interested in his diverse illustrations may consult Nielson's Web site, windandwings.com.

Here's an example of cat stuff from the book: "The large, orange tabby Morris was famous in America between 1969 and 1978 for advertising cat food on television. After he died, similar-looking tabbies replaced him. Several 'quotes' were attributed to Morris, including: 'I don't believe felines are a fad — we're here to stay,' and 'The cat who doesn't act finicky soon loses control over his owner.' " — Dennis Lythgoe

'My Latest Grievance'

By Elinor Lipman

Houghton Mifflin, $24.

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Elinor Lipman is a talented, satirical novelist who has written seven previous works, including the recent "The Pursuit of Alice Thrift," popularly called a "screwball comedy."

This new novel, set in 1978, focuses on Frederica Hatch, a young woman born and raised in the dorm of a small women's college — where, incidentally, both of her very proper parents teach.

Laura Lee French suddenly enters her world. French, an alleged former Rockette, is the new dorm mother. She soon proves to be the glamorous antithesis of Frederica's parents — both of whom have a passion for liberal political causes.

Here is the shocker — French was once married to Frederica's distinctly unglamorous father. Frederica has more than a little trouble with that nugget of information. — Dennis Lythgoe

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