Customer Reviews

The Death of a Constant Lover: A Nick Hoffman Mystery (Walker Mystery)

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If you can't go home again, you can always return for a visit or two. Self-described recovering academic Lev Raphael left university teaching for a full-time writing career. In between producing more literary works -- a novel, a collection of short stories and an analysis of Edith Wharton's fiction -- he's also written three witty mysteries skewing the academic world he left.

His comic alter ego, Nick Hoffman, came to the State University of Michigan to teach classes in the English, American Studies and Rhetoric Department and to be with Stefan, his partner. He also wants to make tenure. But his sharp tongue, lack of allies and preference for teaching over research hurts his chances enough if it weren't for all the bodies he keeps discovering.

By the time Raphael's third book opens, Hoffman's career is foundering and sinking fast. His involvement as amateur detective has brought unfavorable publicity to the university, and his chances darken further by simply being within eyeshot of a murder -- this time of a young man killed during a melee between a campus preacher and a group of students.

"The Death of a Constant Lover" -- the title is a reference to 19th-century English novelist Benjamin Constant --is more a novel of university life and politics than a murder mystery. The investigation moves in fits and starts as Hoffman finds himself also dealing with other problems: death threats are being sent to his office mate, a woman hired to fulfill SUM's diversity quota, and the effect on his relationship with Stefan when he is dropped by his publisher.

Raphael's third book is slightly darker than his first two. Hoffman's joie de vive is dampened by the violence around him, making "Death of a Constant Lover" not so much a darker book -- we're not talking about James Ellroy here -- but simply not as bright and vivacious than the first two books. That's not a criticism so much as an observation that Raphael has put his finger on a key problem with the detecting genre. Death is serious business, and cracking jokes like Noel Coward around the body doesn't ring true. And yet, some sense of humor is needed to keep one from turning Gothic. Homicide detectives and crime reporters tend to develop a callous form that can be shocking to those who The tradeoff here is that Raphael has a sure grasp of his leading characters, and "Constant Lover" is a deeper and more thoughtful mystery that approaches the depth of P.D. James or Martha Grimes.

Lev Raphael is our star reporter from the brutal battlefield of academia, and readers couldn't have a wittier, more seasoned correspondent. If you've ever spent time at a university, you'll howl at his portrayals of petty bureaucrats, self-important scholars, groveling grad students, and snarky professors. Thank goodness Professor Nick Hoffman has his rock-steady friend and lover Stefan to lean on, because it's a jungle out there at the State University of Michigan. If you're looking for a dumbed-down mystery you'd better take a pass, because Raphael assumes intelligence on the part of his readers. That's a treat in itself, but the real payoff with Raphael's work can be found in the deeper themes beneath the laughs: The magic of beauty; the power of love and acceptance; the redeeming nature of faith. LOVER is a wonderful read.

Lev Raphael has somehow managed to top his first two mysteries with this wonderful sequel. His characters are fresh and alive, the writing is witty and intelligent, and the plot is anything but predictable. Raphael is one of the few authors who can leave me laughing out loud on a crowded metro. I am not a mystery fan by nature, but have read all three of his mysteries, and will continue to do so. If you are looking for an entertaining novel that is both shrewd and playful, and that assumes intelligence on your part, this is it.

Lev Raphael is a gifted, but seemingly underrated, writer. His current Nick Hoffman mystery is, to me, the best of the series so far. I am a teacher and I love how he captures the world of the "faculty lounge" where other teachers disdain those who truly love their work and enjoy reaching their students. If students evaluate us well, then we must be doing something wrong! The mystery, the death of a student followed by the death of a grad student, is fun to follow. The pieces fall into place as they should. It keeps the reader guessing, but it is not so far-fetched as to be wholly unbelieveable. Stefan and Nick's relationship is the sanest one in the novel--I love that! They interact just as any couple would; their lives--other than getting caught up in mysterious deaths!--are like those of any couple. Their support for one another is beautiful. Nick and Stefan find their only peace, seemingly, in Shabbat. How fitting. Many of us can relate, I am certain. This is a great book that deserves a bigger audience. I intend to pass it on to others.

Lev Raphael does academia better than anyone. This book takes a clever and delightful series up a notch. The story grabs the reader's attention immediately, then twists and turns as clues and characters are introduced in a very engaging manner. Throughout the solution of the crime, we are entertained by Raphael's sharp wit and humor (look for Minnie, and the Michigan "trend" of older women in relationships...), his skillful use of literary references, and the wonderful growth in the relationship between Nick and Stefan. Mystery fans will love all the allusions to writers and trends within the genre. This is an absolutely delicious read!

I was reluctant to read DEATH OF A CONSTANT LOVER. I had read the first two Nick Hoffman mysteries, LET'S GET
CRIMINAL and THE EDITH WHARTON MURDERS, and had come away from both with a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
While each was generally well written and entertaining enough, they each suffered from the same set of irritating flaws, not the
least of which was a narrator dog-determined to show off his own erudition at every turn.

But I am glad I read CONSTANT LOVER. In fact I find it the superior entry of the series so far (I've got two more to go
before I can set a final tally). Yes, Nick/Raphael still shows off every chance he gets (why, he can quote Henry James verbatim,
years after reading him - can you?), but he leavens the pretension with references to pop culture. And there are plenty of other
compensations here as well. The characterizations, while veering towards exaggeration (I'm talking about supporting characters
now), are uniformly good, even compelling. The mystery is genuinely interesting, exciting, and tension-racked. And the little
scenes of lovers Nick and Stefan at home are fun to read (I especially love their dinners, composed of exotic, delicious
sounding meals). But most of all I love Hoffman's barbs at the present state of academia - the backstabbing, the boredom, the
pretension. For Hoffman, academia is a world where the professors hate books, hate their students, and hate each other and
are there not out of love of learning or teaching but to fortify their own lofty positions in the Ivory Tower. And the
administrators are even bigger cads. As a university teacher I can truthfully verify that, yes, for the sake of fiction, Nick/Raphael exaggerates some but not by much.

Although the reviews for LITTLE MISS EVIL and BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE are mixed, I am looking forward to
what Nick Hoffman gets himself into next.

Universities are noted for their academic infighting where individuals figuratively stab their competitors in the back to obtain tenure or even a teaching assistant position. At Michigan University, bloodshed is more literal as people are actually dying. No one is more aware of this than instructor Nick Hoffman, who in four years here has been embroiled in two on-campus murders, including that of an office mate.

Nick's lover Stefan persuades him to picnic near the spot of the killing so the professor can overcome his phobia. However, a riot ensues, leaving a student dead. Nick is determined not to get involved as he has in the past, especially when each case hurts his chances at obtaining tenure. When a second murder occurs, Nick surrenders to his destiny and begins to make inquiries. He will soon learn that justice and the law do not always coincide.

The third Nick Hoffman mystery is by far the best to date due to more insight into the relationship between Stefan and Nick. This personalizing softens the cutthroat world of academia where the Peter Principle seems optimistically in place. Nick's one liners, witticisms, and world-view philosophy make THE DEATH OF A CONSTANT LOVER one of the better sub-genre tales in several years.

Harriet Klausner

Delightfully witty with just enough of a mystery edge to make even the most ardent mystery novel officiando interested in the plot twists, Lev Raphael has woven yet another skillful installment in the life (and deaths) of Nick Hoffman. Raphael's depiction of American academia is, perhaps painfully, right on the money. He captures not only the politics of American higher education, but also some of its more colorful characters. Yes, the plot's good: all of his novels thus far have exhibited the nice twists and turns one expects--wants--from a murder mystery novel. However, Raphael goes beyond that and peoples his novels with wonderful characters who bring life and wit to the novel. His are not plodding sleuth sagas. Raphael blends mystery plot with style, satire, and character development (hey, when was the last time you read a murder mystery series in which the main character developed over time?). As a writer, Raphael has a keen ear for dialog and a keen eye for description. A must read for readers of any genre!

I beg to differ with a few of the most recent, nasty reviews of this book. Raphael's writing is first-rate, his sense of humor delicious. Come on. Lighten up. A mystery isn't brain surgery, it's entertaiment. And I, for one, was mightily entertained!

An accurate portrayal of campus life, collegial relationships, concern over tenure. Nick and Stefan's tender domestic life is a joy to experience-especially when accompanied by good food prepared with love and fine wine. The mystery unfolds slowly offering up several juicy suspects.

Nick has a way of being in the wrong place at the wrong time--a witness to murder. He is a highly intelligent, sensitive man until he plays sleuth and confronts a suspect. Lev Raphael's sense of humor is evident in his character's names.