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Fiction Beautiful woman, tempted man MANHATTAN NIGHT By Colin Harrison 358 pp. Picador Reviewed by Sue Ellis Colin Harrison’s Manhattan Night , a New York Times Notable Book of the Year originally named Manhattan Nocturne , is the gripping story of a smart guy who got reckless. His name is Porter Wren, a Manhattan tabloid writer trying to backpedal after a lapse in judgment. It’s an old premise: Beautiful woman, tempted man, and his frantic attempts to hide the indiscretion from his wife. When he’s blackmailed by the richest man in the city (who happens to be the owner of the newspaper he works for), his only option, if he wants to hold onto his family, is to out-think a couple of psychologically twisted people. He seems to be the perfect man for the job. Here’s an excerpt from the first page of the book, an effective hook that reveals the main character’s self image and sets the tone for what’s to come: I SELL MAYHEM, scandal, murder, and doom. Oh, Jesus I do, I sell tragedy, vengeanc...