Customer Reviews

Tomorrow Is Another Day (A Toby Peters mystery)

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Ordinarily I would condemn any writer who simply rewrote the same book over and over again. Sadly, there are dozens of authors who make a living doing just that. Stuart Kaminsky is one of them, having written the same WWII-era Hollywood mystery nearly twenty-five times already. But for some reason, when Kaminsky does it, I don't mind.

Which is odd, as I don't really like or believe any of the characters. Kaminsky's hero, Toby Peters, is a former cop who turned private eye. He works exclusively for big-name Hollywood stars of the forties (though Kaminsky tries to make us believe that Peters takes on other cases by recounting them in abbreviated form from time to time). His cohorts and friends are Gunther, a "little person" whom Peters met while working for Judy Garland in "Murder on the Yellow Brick Road", Jeremy Butler, giant, poet, former wrestler, and Sheldon Minck, the world's worst dentist, friend, cohort.

Well, it's not that I don't like them. It's that I've seen them so many times I'm bored with them. In every book, Peters swears he will not need Jeremy Butler's assistance again, but in every book he calls on him again - "one last time - I promise." Butler's wife is understandably angry with Peters, but one wonders why she does not simply smack him in the head with a two-by-four to get her point across.

Sheldon Minck is another story. He's a bumbler, a butcher, a man who cannot even hold onto the harridan to which he is married, yet Peters, who is supposed to be somewhat smart, keeps asking him for assistance. I know the book are meant to be humorous, but - oy!

In this installment, Clark Gable hires Peters to find out who has been sending him threatening letters in the form of bad poetry. It is as improbable as any other Peters mystery, but this one goes even more over the top than most because the initials of the murder victims just happen to spell out...well, I can't tell you. But you'll see when you read it how silly it is.

Reading over what I've written, I realize you might think I don't like this book or the Toby Peters mysteries in general. But that's not true. Toby is an old friend, like that one person you've known since high school who never stops talking about the big homecoming game. Sure it's old news and you've heard it all before, but there's love there, man. And that's what counts.

Toby Peters is in action again with this typical entry in Mr Kaminsky's long running series.This time out his star client is Clark Gable and the book opens on 10th December 1938 on the backlog of Selznick international Studios where shooting is about to get underway on Gone With the Wind.Peters is working security and while Atlanta is burning away merrily in the background an extra is killed .He is dressed as a Confederate trooper and has been run through with a sword .The studio hushes up the crime and events move forward to February 1943 when an incognito Gable ,on leave from the war in Europe ,contacts Peters and engages his services .Gable has received a cryptic poem threatening his life and that of several others involved in Gone with the Wind and also present on the night of the murder.These include awashed up singer,one Al Ramone and a minor actor/extra Charles Larkin .Both are killed and others seem fated to follow.
Peters engagaes his usual crew of helpers -landlord and ex wrestler Jeremy ,incpmpetent dentist Sheldon Minck and the erudite midget gunther.Events build to a climax at the 1943 oscar ceremony

The pace is brisk with several deft comedic touches and the love of movies shines through .Gable is shown as a somewhat broken man ,still mourning the death of Carole Lombard but otherwise this is brisk ,fun crime writing that is lightweight as a mystery but has pace and panache in abundance

Toby Peters enjoys what he does and where he lives. It's Hollywood, 1938, and, of course,
the most monumental picture to date is in the process of being filmed. In "Tomorrow Is Another
Day," author Stuart Kaminsky brings us another interesting, intriguing, and remarkable "period
piece" of detective fiction.

And because it's a murder mystery, we've got to have a body. And a body is provide tout
suite. While filming the burning of Atlanta, a extra is found dead, still in his Confederate uniform.
Toby is working as part of the film's security crew and, glancing about, he sees Clark Gable
watching from a concealed spot.

Kaminsky then cuts to 1943--five years later--and now Mr. Gable
is receiving death threats and enlists Toby's help. In addition, others who had watched the filming begin dying. Toby's
talent--and presence--is called into play.

Fast paced and energetic--and rather clever, this series is--
"Tomorrow Is Another Day" is a good read for any movie buff. Spry, humorous in places and
suspenseful in others, this Kaminsky is well worth the read. The author's tongue in cheek storyline
and characters make for a pleasurable read. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

have not found time to read it yet - so passed it on to my mom who will let me know how it is