Moon over Manhattan: Mystery and Mayhem

by Larry King, Thomas H. Cook

It's welcome to New York and watch out for the locals in this delightful new tale of love, mystery, madness and mayhem in the most most intriguing, romantic, and fast- paced setting of them all!

Bestselling authors Larry King and Thomas H. Cook have collaborated on this Valentine to New York City...this top-speed ride throught the bright lights and dim wits of the big city.

Arthur Vandameer, single dad and TV political commentary giant, the host of WNIN's Speaking Truth to Power, is rich, famous and miserable. He has risen to the top of the city's glittering media heap only to find...nothing. His teenage daughter, priveleged and glamorous Allison Vandameer is blonde, beautiful and wants nothing more than to go to film school. Her boyfriend, Joselito Diaz (aka Goonie), is special to her only because she knows her father cannot stand him.

Roy Bumble spends his time contemplating "the big score" that will make him infinitely wealthy...but returns home to Queens each day from his humdrum doorman job at the posh Sherry-Netherland to his whiny wife Bea Bumble.

Charlie Moon is the big city newspaperman, who is convinced that he has seen everything in this crazy town, until he's sent out on assignment to do a piece for the style section of The Daily Register.

Harry "Ace" Stumbo and Cheeky Putoyna round out the pack. They know all the angles in this dirty town--all the bad men and the worst women--but just don't know how to keep their fingers off them.

When the lovely Allison disappears, these colorful characters (and Mr. Peanut too) are thrown into a citywide web of intrigue, insanity, political values and personal agendas which takes them from The Plaza, to Queens, to Herald Square, to Tiffany, a few bars, a few bedrooms, Bergdorf Goodman and back culminating on live television in front of all of America.

Genres: Fiction

Audio Cassette

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Larry King was an American television host, radio host, and paid spokesman, whose work was recognized with awards including two Peabodys, an Emmy award, and 10 Cable ACE Awards.

From 1985 to 2010, King hosted a nightly interview program on CNN called Larry King Live. From 2012 to 2020, he hosted Larry King Now.

Reviews

[Deb W]

I had a feeling I was not going to like this after listening to Larry King read the author's note. Thomas H. Cook is a great writer and while he probably had fun cooking this one up with Larry, I don't find it amusing at all. My husband would, probably. Madcap is not my thing.

[Allan Pendlebury]

A real slapstick laugh. I thought it was by Thomas Cook; was surprised to see Larry King as author also.

[Tambra]

Horrible book, horrible characters, plot jumps around to much, very boring book.

[B Wojcik]

I 'read' Moon Over Manhattan via audio while I worked and I wanted to jump from the 20-foot scaffold onto my head halfway through the book. I was hoping the ending would redeem the story, surprise me, but nooooo -- i can't even recall how it ended although I'm sure the aforementioned ending was congruent to the aforementioned story.

Actually, the aforementioned story would have been cute, although I suspect it was written by a teenager. The first 2 or 3 uses of the words "the aforementioned" were fun and quirky. But within the first couple chapters you realize that the writer's popping the phrase like Dr. House pops Vicadin. The aforementioned phrase would be used 3 times in a sentence as if the aforementioned writers got high and thought that it was the epitome of humor! It made my teeth grind. I really can't believe any editor would pass that kind of aforementioned verbal abuse! But I guess if you're Larry King and you have some drivel to publish, no one questions your aforementioned pointless use of verbage.

[Susan Reyna]

Not really my thing. Some of it was funny. It grew on me as I got father in, though. I was not as annoyed as some of the other readers, but I do feel it could have used more editing. I understood the purpose of repeating certain words as a humor device, but there were other seriously distracting flaws. Of course, I'm not a New Yorker, so maybe I wasn't supposed to love it.

[Kristy]

1.5 stars. This was pretty bad. I just wish I had kept a count of the use of the word "aforementioned" in this book. Seemed like it was on every single page...multiple times. I'd like to kick the aforementioned author's aforementioned ass with my aforementioned foot. LOL

[Mona]

so funny and enjoyable. Hit upon every sterotype of New Yorkers I could imagine. I truly enjoyed it.

[Denise M.]

Co-author: Larry King

[Rey]

if you fail to go crazy laughing, you may be sick

[Ben]

Quirky characters, silly story.

[Michael C Dreimiller]

I was on vacation at my in-law's house and needed something to read. I can't remember the last time I had such a hard time finishing a book.

[Cindy B.]

Good story and characters - needed a professional narrator not a talk show host reading aloud to children.

[Ashley Marilynne Wong]

Read this a couple of years ago and found it unenjoyable.

[EJ Johnson]

This is a case of something being printed because of name recognition only. It was a waste.