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A Nick Williams Mystery #23
The Stymied Star
Wednesday, November 30, 1960
It's three in the morning when the newly-installed Princess phone (with illuminated dial) next to Carter's side of the bed starts to insistently ring.
Raymond Burr from TV's Perry Mason is calling and he's in a bit of a pickle.
Someone stashed a corpse in his on-studio cottage and he's worried about how this might affect the show.
Nick and Carter fly down where they find a handsome stiff. He was a former personal assistant and wanna-be actor who turned to one of the best-paying gigs in town: male companion.
And he had a little black book chock full of famous names, home phone numbers, and careers that could easily be ruined.
But only one of them is a murderer and it's up to Nick and Carter to find out who it might be...
- GenresM M RomanceGay
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2018
24 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Frank W. Butterfield
123 books106 followersFrank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 28, 2019
Okay, if you know me, you know how obsessed I am with the Perry Mason television show, so you can imagine how happy I am that Raymond Burr showed up in this chapter of the Nick and Carter series. They continue to delight.
July 14, 2018
Good Detective Story-Made Me Cry
This was a good detective story in the spirit of PERRY MASON that made cry. The realistic heart ache of the killer's suicide impacted me as it did the characters.
This was a good detective story in the spirit of PERRY MASON that made cry. The realistic heart ache of the killer's suicide impacted me as it did the characters.
August 26, 2018
The Stymied Star (Nick & Carter 23)
By Frank Butterfield
Published by the author, 2018
Four stars
So, this one made me cry.
In the seemingly endless supply of story arcs that Frank Butterfield’s fertile brain dishes out for our guys, Nick Williams and Carter Jones, this story of a Hollywood murder and a closeted celebrity should be just another fun stop in the adventures of the two richest and most famous gay men in the world.
It is, and it isn’t. Yeah, we’ve got an uptight Raymond Burr, who’s the kind of closeted celebrity who will come to Nick and Carter for their help, and then snub them for fear of guilt by association. And we’ve also got Barbara Hale (Della Street for Perry Mason) and her friend Rosalind Russell, who is as genuine a friend as Nick and Carter have in LaLa Land.
However, the core of this story is to remind us, once again, that even Nick and Carter’s vast wealth, and all of the very public good they do for the people of America, can’t stop the haters, who seek to bring them down because they’re gay and deserve to suffer because of it.
The book is also a reminder that Nick Williams can’t save them all: all the boys who are cut loose because of who they are. Not every gay man can make a go of it in the world, not even with Nick’s help, and the tragedy at the center of this story involves one of those lost boys. I can’t go into the details, but it is a gut-wrenching story of the Hollywood industry, police homophobia, and the unhappy truths of the start of the 60s. I was five years old when this book takes place; the challenges I would face as a gay man were a long way off.
The miracle of Nick and Carter is that they have money, but – more importantly – they have a network of friends who genuinely love them, and do their utmost to care for them. Both Nick and Carter realize that money doesn’t buy them happiness, but family and friends do.
Butterfield mixes nostalgia and ugly reality in clever proportions, to draw his readers into his stories, setting them up for the emotional one-two-punch that inevitably lurks somewhere inside. These books are like addictive snacks: I won’t stop until they’re all gone. Fortunately, Nick is just 38 and Carter is 40: there’s a long road ahead for all of us.
By Frank Butterfield
Published by the author, 2018
Four stars
So, this one made me cry.
In the seemingly endless supply of story arcs that Frank Butterfield’s fertile brain dishes out for our guys, Nick Williams and Carter Jones, this story of a Hollywood murder and a closeted celebrity should be just another fun stop in the adventures of the two richest and most famous gay men in the world.
It is, and it isn’t. Yeah, we’ve got an uptight Raymond Burr, who’s the kind of closeted celebrity who will come to Nick and Carter for their help, and then snub them for fear of guilt by association. And we’ve also got Barbara Hale (Della Street for Perry Mason) and her friend Rosalind Russell, who is as genuine a friend as Nick and Carter have in LaLa Land.
However, the core of this story is to remind us, once again, that even Nick and Carter’s vast wealth, and all of the very public good they do for the people of America, can’t stop the haters, who seek to bring them down because they’re gay and deserve to suffer because of it.
The book is also a reminder that Nick Williams can’t save them all: all the boys who are cut loose because of who they are. Not every gay man can make a go of it in the world, not even with Nick’s help, and the tragedy at the center of this story involves one of those lost boys. I can’t go into the details, but it is a gut-wrenching story of the Hollywood industry, police homophobia, and the unhappy truths of the start of the 60s. I was five years old when this book takes place; the challenges I would face as a gay man were a long way off.
The miracle of Nick and Carter is that they have money, but – more importantly – they have a network of friends who genuinely love them, and do their utmost to care for them. Both Nick and Carter realize that money doesn’t buy them happiness, but family and friends do.
Butterfield mixes nostalgia and ugly reality in clever proportions, to draw his readers into his stories, setting them up for the emotional one-two-punch that inevitably lurks somewhere inside. These books are like addictive snacks: I won’t stop until they’re all gone. Fortunately, Nick is just 38 and Carter is 40: there’s a long road ahead for all of us.
July 12, 2018
The saga has now reached the 1960s and Nick and Carter must solve the reason why Raymond Burr (star of Ironside & Perry Mason) has found a corpse in his cottage at the studio. We know the stiff was a 'male companion' but who was he with, what happened and how did he get to the cottage?
Another mystery which needs to be unravelled.
Another mystery which needs to be unravelled.
February 15, 2019
The ending was completely predictable as the culprit always dies in this series but how we get to that point is shocking and unexpected.
Is anyone else kind of over Roz? I loved her at first, her star power and personality added a bit of pizzaz but then her weird hang-ups about Nick being gay and this self-serving side that we see in this story just makes me think she's not a nice person and I wish Nick would cut ties with her. There's always the hope for redemption so maybe at one point she will get her own storyline to resolve those two issues but at this point, it just feels like she's using him for his money (or his foundation's money) which he seems okay with because of what she adds to his life, but if she keeps acting like this, I could totally see that change.
I really liked that Nick's experience in Los Angeles felt far more realistic during this trip. It was a bit ridiculous for them to get all the way to San Pedro from Burbank with stops up to Ventura all within something like three hours. My, how things have changed since Carter stopped being an Arson Investigator.
I hope we get to see the LA office develop a bit more. There are hints that they'll move to a bigger space which has me thinking that Nick/Henry/Pam might build a building in LA or something. I guess we'll have to wait and see how that plays out as well.
Is anyone else kind of over Roz? I loved her at first, her star power and personality added a bit of pizzaz but then her weird hang-ups about Nick being gay and this self-serving side that we see in this story just makes me think she's not a nice person and I wish Nick would cut ties with her. There's always the hope for redemption so maybe at one point she will get her own storyline to resolve those two issues but at this point, it just feels like she's using him for his money (or his foundation's money) which he seems okay with because of what she adds to his life, but if she keeps acting like this, I could totally see that change.
I really liked that Nick's experience in Los Angeles felt far more realistic during this trip. It was a bit ridiculous for them to get all the way to San Pedro from Burbank with stops up to Ventura all within something like three hours. My, how things have changed since Carter stopped being an Arson Investigator.
I hope we get to see the LA office develop a bit more. There are hints that they'll move to a bigger space which has me thinking that Nick/Henry/Pam might build a building in LA or something. I guess we'll have to wait and see how that plays out as well.
January 15, 2020
I am really enjoying the books in this part of the series. The flow of Stymied Star is comfortable. Once again, I read a full book in just a couple of days.
I am in awe at Frank's writing. The descriptions are rich. The characters are diverse. He brings characters from previous books back around and it feels so natural and true to real life.
And I REALLY like what is happening in Nick's dreams. This resonates with me in a personal way and tickles me.
I definitely appreciate Frank and all that he is creating for our entertainment and pleasure!
I am in awe at Frank's writing. The descriptions are rich. The characters are diverse. He brings characters from previous books back around and it feels so natural and true to real life.
And I REALLY like what is happening in Nick's dreams. This resonates with me in a personal way and tickles me.
I definitely appreciate Frank and all that he is creating for our entertainment and pleasure!
February 17, 2020
Burr!
Raymond Burr is at the center of this mystery! I love the way this author wove this tale around him. We find Nick and Carter flying down to Hollywood to sniff out answers of how a corpse ends up in “Perry Mason’s” cottage. The results tore at my heartstrings because of how it affected Carter on such a deep emotional level. Once again, Uncle Paul emotes his wisdom as he speaks to Nick. This book packed a powerful punch.
Raymond Burr is at the center of this mystery! I love the way this author wove this tale around him. We find Nick and Carter flying down to Hollywood to sniff out answers of how a corpse ends up in “Perry Mason’s” cottage. The results tore at my heartstrings because of how it affected Carter on such a deep emotional level. Once again, Uncle Paul emotes his wisdom as he speaks to Nick. This book packed a powerful punch.
August 31, 2018
Loving this series.
January 26, 2019
Heartfelt
A well written story line with a couple of emotional scenes and enough happiness to balance the sadness. The resolution is positive and helps lift the ending.
A well written story line with a couple of emotional scenes and enough happiness to balance the sadness. The resolution is positive and helps lift the ending.
July 7, 2021
Loved this book. I grew up watching Perry Mason and still watch it on occasion, so this book was right up my alley.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews