How could I not have known about David Handler's terrific mysteries all these years? I just read The Man Who Couldn't Miss (#772) after reading a review of it in our local newspaper. Apparently Mr. Handler is reviving the Stewart Hoag mystery series which he hasn't written about in twenty years. I'm so glad he decided to give it another shot.
Stewart Hoag is an author with one best-selling book behind him. He hasn't been able to duplicate his success since. He's hoping that a summer spent at his ex-wife Merilee Nash's Connecticut farm will give him the peace, isolation and motivation to get back on that horse again. He's on good terms with Merilee, but she has her own project to keep her busy; a celebrity revival of Noel Coward's Private Lives in a one day gala performance to raise enough money to restore the venerable Sherbourne Playhouse. She, and so many other famous actors and actresses made their professional debuts in this rickety theater.
At least Hoagy has his basset hound Lulu to keep him company. But as it always does, trouble finds Hoagy when a secret from Merilee's past rears its ugly head, and one of the stars of Private Lives doesn't make it to Act II. It's a distraction, but someone has to deal with it all. It might as well be Hoagy.
This has everything I love in a good mystery; quirky characters I cared about, plenty of snarky humor, and plot twists I didn't see coming until I read them, but seemed logical once you know the motivation. One of the cover blurbs is Harlan Coben's, and I can now see why: "One of my all-time favorite series." I have the feeling I'll be agreeing with that opinion.
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