The Nest

by Hal Glatzer

“The Nest” is a a new kind of cozy, with a fresh take on a classic setup; a breezy adventure mystery, set in the present day.Herman and Teddie (née Theodora) are a playful, affectionate couple in their sixties who alternate the narration in first-person voices. One morning, they discover the body of the landlord under their apartment’s balcony. Everyone says it was an accident, but the homicide detective believes it was murder, and starts building a case against Herman and Teddie.To clear themselves, they set out to discover what really happened. But they are not the typical husband and wife one finds in traditional cozies. They have a secret they must conceal and protect.Forced by circumstance to go sleuthing, but never having done it before, they naively follow a trail of criminal mischief in the city. A series of suspicious incidents makes them realize that there are intrigues in the apartment house itself. Neighbors with motives for their landlord’s murder keep piling up.The deeper they probe, the more they suspect that a limited-liability corporation is behind the murder. But LLCs can legally conceal their members’ and investors’ names. To identify who's responsible they have to skirt the law. Unexpectedly, they discover the truth about an ongoing scandal involving the chief of police. Which makes them realize that revealing too many secrets could backfire—exposing that secret of their own!Just when they think they’ve got all the answers, they fall into a trap. Though they escape in a wild and risky way, another challenge They still have to convince that skeptical homicide detective that what they’ve learned—whodunit, how, and why—is really the truth.

306 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2023

About the author

Born and raised in Manhattan, Glatzer went to public schools, the Bronx High School of Science, Syracuse University for a BA in English, and the University of Hawaii for an MA in Communication. But his writing career began in daily journalism. As a newspaper and television reporter in the 1970s, he found his ideal beat covering the “silicon revolution,” the rise of communication satellites, small computers and other personal electronic devices. He wrote four nonfiction books on those subjects which were published in the ’80s, and stayed on the high-tech beat until the mid-’90s, when—ironically—the internet killed the market for “computer magazines.” But he got his first mystery novel out of that beat. THE TRAPDOOR, about a hacker who gets in trouble hacking for organized crime, was published in 1986.

When Glatzer is not working as an author, he works as a musician, playing jazz guitar and singing “the Great American Songbook” from Tin Pan Alley and Broadway.

Reviews

[Joan Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple in their 60s discover the body of their landlord from the window of their apartment. Certain circumstances put them in the suspect pool, so they seek to discover the identity of the murderer to clear their names.

This book was engaging enough that I wanted to know what happened in the end, but not engaging enough that I wanted to read the middle third of the book. I went back and reread the description of the book to be sure that I didn't miss something, but there is no mention of the fact that the main couple in the story are involved in a long-term adulterous relationship. Because I personally find adultery to be abhorrent, this colored my view of the novel. No matter how likeable the characters are, they are trying to uncover deceit while being thoroughly deceitful with their spouses, and I couldn't enjoy the book on that basis.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Seraphina Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up looking for a mystery, but I ended up staying for the characters. Herman and Teddie (or 'Ducky and Drakey' as they affectionately call each other) are such a breath of fresh air. It is so rare to find a story where the leads are in their sixties and have such a playful, 'spicy' secret life together.
The stakes felt much higher than a typical cozy because they weren't just trying to solve a murder they were trying to protect their 'nest' and keep their afternooners a secret from their actual spouses. I loved the tension of them trying to outsmart a skeptical homicide detective while navigating the confusing world of LLCs and police scandals. The way they stumbled into the investigation felt very realistic for two people who have never played detective before.
The ending had me genuinely worried for them, especially when they fell into that trap near the end. It’s a fast-paced, funny, and slightly naughty mystery that proves you're never too old for a little adventure (or a secret affair). I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble these two get into in the next book!

[R J Mckay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nest is quirky. I liked that both main characters had their separate dialogue. The mystery was interesting and the plot kept me guessing who was behind the murder. Unfortunately, the open drug usage was disturbing. I was also put off by the casual adulterous affair by both of the main characters. This was an interesting book, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my friends.

[Elizabeth Crowens · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting romp in the hay. Tangled relationships among mature, consenting adults...quite a departure from Glatzer's usual Sherlock Holmes stories. A modern-day version of Billy Wilder's The Apartment, but on a serious note with a murder mystery in the midst. The building where the story takes place seems to be a character of its own.

[Pauline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quirky Book

Kind of an odd book with silly characters.
Not sure this book would be for every everyone as it involves affairs and smoking pot