HARLAN COBEN calls it “One of my all-time favorite series! …David Handler is so good at writing one smart, funny page-turner after another that he makes it look easy.” Fans of JANET EVANOVICH and CARL HIAASEN, get ready. If you haven’t yet discovered wisecracking sleuth Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag and his faithful basset hound Lulu, you’re in for a sharp, hilarious treat.Once upon a time, Hoagy had it … in for a sharp, hilarious treat.
Once upon a time, Hoagy had it all: a hugely successful debut novel, a gorgeous celebrity wife, the glamorous world of New York City at his feet. These days, he scrapes by as a celebrity ghostwriter. A celebrity ghostwriter who finds himself investigating murders more often than he’d like.
And once upon a time, Richard Aintree was the most famous writer in America — high school students across the country read his one and only novel, a modern classic on par with The Catcher in the Rye. But after his wife’s death, Richard went into mourning… and then into hiding. No one has heard from him in twenty years.
Until now. Richard Aintree — or someone pretending to be Richard Aintree — has at last reached out to his two estranged daughters. Monette is a lifestyle queen à la Martha Stewart whose empire is crumbling; and once upon a time, Reggie was the love of Hoagy’s life. Both sisters have received mysterious typewritten letters from their father.
Hoagy is already on the case, having been hired to ghostwrite a tell-all book about the troubled Aintree family. But no sooner does he set up shop in the pool house of Monette’s Los Angeles mansion than murder strikes. With Lulu at his side — or more often cowering in his shadow — it’s up to Hoagy to unravel the mystery, catch the killer, and pour himself that perfect single-malt Scotch… before it’s too late.
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I loved the references and easy language between the characters.
The main character and his dog are a hilarious couple; the man is a ghost writer; the dog thinks she is a diva and wears sunglasses and saucy little outfits to prove it. There of course is a mystery and how it is solved makes this a fun book to read.
Funny mystery in a Phillip Marlow way.
Good read with a certain Rex Stout feeling about it…
I love Hoagy and especially Lulu. I’ve read all the books in the series and was surprised I missed that this latest one had come out in August. If you like an original and well-written plot, great dialogue, and stories with a very entertaining bassett hound, you’ll love David Handler’s Hoagy series.
Readers who enjoyed David Handler’s earlier “Hoagy & Lulu” books will welcome the return, after a 20-year hiatus, of the ghost-writer/sleuth & his neurotic basset hound. Set in the 1990’s, the newest book deals with the familiar territory of dysfunctional celebrities & their dirty secrets; but this time Hoagy must also deal with a ghost from his own past. Lulu’s admirers will no doubt be pleased that she’s given a more substantial role in “sniffing out” the solution to the crime.
I found that I was entranced by the perspective of the protagonist. Very good writing.
Very good. Love the character and story. Will read more of the series.
I’ve missed Hoagy! What a treat to have him back, and in top form.
Wonderfully written.
Unreadable.Deleted it.
Interesting characters
Solid writing. Great characters and characterization. Setting, plot, humor, nostalgia–all the elements beautifully woven together. The book has the feel of the old classics and yet still feels current. This was my second book featuring Hoagie and Lulu and I enjoyed both. I recommend the book for those who love classic mysteries.