—THE SEARCHERS A drug raid north of Denver late last March that turned up a methamphetamine lab—and two books on how to build one—has blossomed into a First Amendment case involving one of the nation's premier independent bookstores. The police, finding a mailing envelope and purchase number from Denver's Tattered Cover -- along with copies of Advanced Techniques of Clandestine Psychedelic & Amphetamine Manufacture and The Construction and Operation of Clandestine Drug Laboratories—now want the bookstore to turn over records of the purchase to see if they can tie the books to their suspect. Tattered Cover refused, and obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the search warrant. ''Our customers have a First Amendment right to purchase constitutionally protected material,'' says Joyce Meskis, the store's owner. Counters Lieut. Mark Nicastle, of the North Metro Drug Task Force: ''We don't care if [the suspect] reads Dr. Seuss, we just want to know if he purchased two specific books.'' A district court judge will soon decide whether to allow the search.
—BROTHER, MAY I? Hannibal star Julianne Moore is keeping her upcoming project all in the family: She plans to executive-produce and star in the film version of Raveling (due from Little, Brown in July and optioned by Warner Bros. in February), a psychological thriller written by her brother, first-time novelist Peter Moore Smith. Adding to the intrigue, the actress' boyfriend, Bart Freundlich, will cowrite the script and direct. ''It was sort of this weird confluence of events,'' says Smith. ''The nice thing is that since we all know each other so well, we'll be able to streamline the process.'' The character Moore will play? A psychologist caught between two men.
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