Playwright-actor-singer, man-about-town Noel Coward is no detective, but how can he say no to a request for help in a murder investigation when he has the opening act at the same club where the victim's sister does a chicken-slaughtering act? Mystery buffs will love this hilarious romp through 1930's New York from the author of The Greta Garbo Murder Case.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
"Fame is so exhausting," laments this mystery's eponymous hero--but not as as enervating, unfortunately, as reading this latest offering from Baxt ( A Queer Kind of Death ). From the discovery of a corpse in a Shanghai river to a (surprisingly tame) conflagration in a New York City boite, the book's not-very-mysterious elements are rudimentarily handled. "A murder has been committed and I intend to conduct a very thorough investigation," announces Det. Jacob Singer. Characters evidence little individuality, while dialogue and exposition alike are lined out with no trace of subtlety. Everything is told rather than shown ("Noel looked world-weary as usual") and corny one-liners are plopped into scenes regardless of suitability. Moreover, Baxt should consider joining Namedroppers Anonymous: his scattershot celebrity mentions--in an apparent attempt to imbue his narrative with a behind-the-scenes period atmosphere--quickly prove tedious. The unkindest cut of all, however, is Baxt's depiction of Coward himself: this justly celebrated bon vivant, master of the witty riposte, is here reduced to a fatuous, insipid boor. Readers would be better entertained curling up with a cozy British whodunit while listening to a Coward recording.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Noel Coward as a Detective?,
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This review is from: The Noel Coward Murder Case (Hardcover)
I am still a fan of Baxt's celebrity mysteries, but the last two have been less than exciting. In this one it's apparent who the murderer is right away. We even know the extent of the murderer's crimes so it's not a big surprise when we find out that there are numerous victims on the list. Also, Coward in this book doesn't seem real. He's more a plastic person that what he really was. But there are some exciting places in the book, and I will continue to read the series.
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