Twenty years after the last book in David Handler’s series featuring Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag and his basset hound, Lulu, the author brings them back. The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes is set in 1992 when Hoagy is still pining for his ex-wife, actress Merilee Nash. He’s still ghostwriting celebrity memoirs. He’s still as cynical as ever.

Author Richard Aintree disappeared after his wife committed suicide, leaving behind his two teenage daughters. One went on to become a Hollywood celebrity after writing two tell-all memoirs. The other, Reggie, was the love of Hoagy’s life before he met Merilee. But, the two were destructive together, and it was only when he left Reggie that Hoagy was able to write his literary masterpiece.  Merilee knows Hoagy never forgot Reggie. When Hoagy’s literary agent wants him to work with Richard’s daughter, Monette, to ghostwrite Aintree’s memoir, Merilee encourages him to take the job.

From beginning to end, this job is a mess. Hoagy can’t stand Monette’s agent. He finds Reggie just as strange as ever. And, once he flies to Hollywood, he’s in the midst of Monette’s lifestyle, with paparazzi at the gates, Monette’s cheating, drug-addicted husband calling, and attempts on his life. When there’s a shooting at a birthday party at Monette’s house, neither Hoagy nor his police lieutenant friend believe the confession of the supposed killer. Everyone is a suspect.

Publishing fans encouraged Handler to bring back Hoagy and Lulu. The story reminds me of detective novels of the ’40s and ’50s, when the detective was cynical and the women were bad. It felt dated, but that’s only my opinion. I’m sure fans of the series will welcome the return of several of their favorite characters in The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes.


David Handler’s website is www.davidhandlerbooks.com

The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes by David Handler. William Morrow. 2017. ISBN 9780062412843 (paperback), 288p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received the book to review for a journal.