An Available Man

In this plodding and formulaic first novel, American expatriate Francis Buchanan makes his living as an ``escort'' of wealthy women on holiday in Paris. Francis is becoming disillusioned with his chosen career when his heartthrob--oil heiress/junkie Emma Cullington--reappears after an unsuccessful stint at a Swiss rehabilitation clinic. What little there is of a plot revolves around Francis's frenetic pursuit of self-destructive Emma from the demimonde of Paris to the country clubs and seedy bars of Houston; the drawn-out descriptions of these escapades quickly grow wearisome (and that these exploits are symptomatic of some soul-searching on the part of Francis and Emma is unconvincing). Exaggerated stereotypes substitute for characterization, and artificial, overly glib dialogue fails to lend the protagonists either depth or believability. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is its intimate portrayal of Paris--and even this gets mired in cliche and unnecessary detail. (Mar.)