THE HOWARD HUGHES AFFAIR

by Stuart Kaminsky ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 1979

A slightly less irritating case for 1940s private eye Toby Peters--perhaps because Howard Hughes fits into fiction more naturally than Peters' previous movie-star clients (Judy Garland, etc.). Anyway, eccentric, paranoid Hughes hires Toby to figure out who fiddled with Hughes blueprints for a new super-bomber, which were sitting on his desk during a big Hughes dinner party. So Toby starts investigating both servants and guests--which gets him beaten up regularly: among the guests were some German-born industrial types (obvious suspects) who are very touchy and very tough, especially when Toby cavorts with the buxom, shady lady of the house (in a dentist chair). Dead bodies appear regularly (Kaminsky uses them instead of genuine plotting); there are guest shots by Brecht and Bugsy Siegel and Basil Rathbone (who has a Sherlock Holmes complex); and it's a tired, formula piece of half-parody indeed--but at least not overtly obnoxious.

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 1979

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1979

Categories: FICTION