‘Diamond’ Turns Heads for Film With Scott Glenn

Before boarding his mainland-bound flight from Hawaii last April, actor Scott Glenn picked up a paperback copy of “Diamond Head,” Irvine writer Charles Knief’s 1996 debut mystery novel.

“Diamond Head,” the first in a series featuring a Hawaii-based private eye who lives aboard a sailboat, finds ex-Navy SEAL John Caine facing contract killers, raging fires and tiger sharks as he searches for the killer of an old Navy friend’s daughter who has been raped and murdered. The police have no suspects, but there is evidence the girl was involved in Hawaii’s burgeoning snuff-film industry--knowledge of which would ruin the career of Caine’s former commanding officer, an admiral, if it became public.

Glenn, whose film credits include “Urban Cowboy,” “Silverado” and “The Right Stuff,” couldn’t put it down. By the time he reached LAX, he was telling himself, “I have to play Caine.”

Fade-out, fade-in: Glenn showed the book to his partner and fellow Ketchum, Idaho, resident, producer Stephen Crisman (husband of actress Mariel Hemingway). Crisman Films optioned “Diamond Head” in May; last month, the company bought the screen rights.

Knief said he’s read a treatment of the screenplay, which is being written by Glenn, and is “very happy” with it.

“They have retained the title, the name of the character and the basic story, except they removed the really dark aspects of it,” said Knief, 51. “ ‘Diamond Head’ was a little rough for a lot of people because it involves snuff films.”

Removing the snuff-film angle “changes the motivation of the bad guy, but that’s just fine with me,” Knief said. “They say if you sell a book to films, it’s like selling a car: You can watch it go by, but you can’t drive it anymore. That’s the truth, but in this case, I like the driver.”

Like all authors when they’re creating characters, Knief had his own idea of what Caine looked like when he was writing “Diamond Head.”

“But as soon as Crisman called me at home . . . and told me the story of Scott Glenn wanting to play Caine, I realized [Glenn] is perfect for the part,” Knief said. “I like his look, and I like the parts that he’s had. Scott Glenn is an ex-Marine, and Caine is an ex-SEAL, but they’re of the same type, and I think [Glenn] could really carry it off.”

Said Crisman, via e-mail this week from Australia, where his wife is making a film: “The part is perfect for Scott, who understands the character very well.”

Crisman, who envisions “Diamond Head” for either theatrical or cable release, said he’ll be scouting locations in Hawaii in April but is unsure when filming will begin.

Knief, whom Crisman calls “a gifted writer,” wrote “Diamond Head” in 1992 but was unable to interest an agent in it. He didn’t give up on it, though. In 1995, he entered the manuscript in the Best First Private Eye Novel contest co-sponsored by the Private Eye Writers of America and St. Martin’s Press. It won the contest, which included a publishing contract.

Knief, a senior consultant for a Newport Beach-based construction management firm who once lived in Hawaii, writes nights and weekends. Even though he has sold “Diamond Head” to the movies, he’s keeping his day job.

“The option [price] was decent, and the purchase price was wonderful but not life-changing,” Knief said, laughing.

A fourth Caine mystery is half finished, and Knief is promoting the just-published third. In “Emerald Flash” (St. Martin’s Press; $23.95), Caine tries to hide a young woman from both the law and a Colombia hit team after her husband turns up dead in her apartment.

Charles Knief will sign “Emerald Flash” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

Also Coming Up:

* Barbara DeMarco Barrett will interview literary agent David Vigliano on “Writers on Writing” at 6 p.m. today on KUCI-FM (88.9) in Irvine.

* A Celebration of Women in Poetry--featuring Lizzie Wann, June Melby, Ellyn Maybe and Mindy Nettifee--will be at 8 p.m. today at the Retro Cafe in the Argyros Forum at Chapman University, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange.

* Nancy Jo Hoy will discuss Anais Nin, the creative will and Hoy’s book, “The Power to Dream: Interviews With Women in the Creative Arts,” at 7 p.m. Friday in Room 210 of the Business/General Studies complex at Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Free. For information, call (949) 498-2698.

* William A. Gordon will sign and present a slide show illustrating “The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book” at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 791 S. Main St., Orange.

* O.J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden and Dick Lochte will sign their mystery thriller, “The Trials of Nikki Hill,” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange.

* Tim C. Leedom, Harry W. Carpenter and Linda Adams will sign “The Main Man,” a novel dealing with end-time biblical prophecies, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble in Fashion Island Newport Beach, 953 Newport Center Drive. Joining them in signing their books will be Steve Allen (“Dumbth,” “Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion and Morality”) and Robert Eisenman (“The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered”).

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Southern California Living, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

For more reviews, read Book Review

Sunday: Thomas Lynch on Natalie Angier’s “Woman: An Intimate Geography” and Wendy Lesser on the stories of Henry James. Plus Eugen Weber on the latest mysteries and thrillers.