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Stewart Hoag #8
The Man Who Loved Women to Death
A serial killer is showing Hoagy his novel in progress--and every chapter is murder....
Once Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag was the toast of the publishing world and the husband of luscious Broadway beauty Merilee Nash. Now, reunited with Merilee in proud parenthood, Hoagy ghosts celebrity memoirs to pay the rent. And solves the occasional murder, aided by Lulu, his anchovy-eating basset hound.
A ghostwriter usually chooses his clients, but this time Hoagy finds himself chosen. His new client calls himself the Answer Man, and he's mailing Hoagy anonymous installments of his work in progress. Each one narrates the stalking and strangling of a lovely young woman--and it's no sooner in Hoagy's mailbox than the cops find her branded with orange-lipstick question marks. Hoagy's deadly pen pal--bent on a megabestseller and a movie deal--is seeking his literary advice, and Hoagy's being tagged by both the police and the press as a twisted killer's go-between.
Hoagy has some questions of his own for the elusive Answer Man. But the closer he gets to the truth, the less he likes what he finds. For Hoagy fears the prolific killer may be someone too close to him for comfort. And that the next chapter of the Answer Man's grisly opus might be Hoagy's last.
From the Paperback edition.
Once Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag was the toast of the publishing world and the husband of luscious Broadway beauty Merilee Nash. Now, reunited with Merilee in proud parenthood, Hoagy ghosts celebrity memoirs to pay the rent. And solves the occasional murder, aided by Lulu, his anchovy-eating basset hound.
A ghostwriter usually chooses his clients, but this time Hoagy finds himself chosen. His new client calls himself the Answer Man, and he's mailing Hoagy anonymous installments of his work in progress. Each one narrates the stalking and strangling of a lovely young woman--and it's no sooner in Hoagy's mailbox than the cops find her branded with orange-lipstick question marks. Hoagy's deadly pen pal--bent on a megabestseller and a movie deal--is seeking his literary advice, and Hoagy's being tagged by both the police and the press as a twisted killer's go-between.
Hoagy has some questions of his own for the elusive Answer Man. But the closer he gets to the truth, the less he likes what he finds. For Hoagy fears the prolific killer may be someone too close to him for comfort. And that the next chapter of the Answer Man's grisly opus might be Hoagy's last.
From the Paperback edition.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 1997
95 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
David Handler
53 books262 followersAKA Russell Andrews (with Peter Gethers)
David Handler, who began his career in New York as a journalist, was born and raised in Los Angeles and published two highly acclaimed novels about growing up there, Kiddo and Boss, before resorting to a life of crime fiction.
David Handler, who began his career in New York as a journalist, was born and raised in Los Angeles and published two highly acclaimed novels about growing up there, Kiddo and Boss, before resorting to a life of crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 3, 2015
Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag, ghostwriter to the stars, has received a puzzling letter in the mail. It’s the first chapter of a book, describing the murder of a beautiful single woman who manages a pet store. When the body of a woman is discovered by cops, Hoagy contacts his police friend Romaine Very, who confirms that the details of the manuscript match exactly with the details of the crime.
The press dubs the killer “the Answer Man,” and with each new victim Hoagy receives a new chapter in the mail. Why does the Answer Man choose to send Hoagy the chapters? Is it someone he knows?
This is the eighth book in the series, a mystery with red herrings, twists and turns, and an ending the reader doesn’t see coming.
The press dubs the killer “the Answer Man,” and with each new victim Hoagy receives a new chapter in the mail. Why does the Answer Man choose to send Hoagy the chapters? Is it someone he knows?
This is the eighth book in the series, a mystery with red herrings, twists and turns, and an ending the reader doesn’t see coming.
February 11, 2018
This is one book I wished had ended a hundred pages before it finally, mercifully did. I could have done without the loving detailed description of the men's clothing which just seemed to pad the word count. I couldn't drum up any enthusiasm for any of the characters. It felt like a cross between a hard-boiled detective story and a cozy but failed on both counts.
December 13, 2024
Set in late-1990's New York City, detective story writer Stewart Hoag, his actress wife, and newborn daughter are enjoying Christmastime in NYC when a fan sends him a manuscript with the potential to actually be a good story, but then that fan's murder story turns out to be more nonfiction than fiction. As this killer is now murdering women in town, Hoagy has turned it over to the cops but can't help but lend a hand finding the killer.
The setup has promise, the Hoag character is kind of interesting, and Handler uses smart pacing with events moving along at a good cadence, but there are a number of prose issues that are almost read-killingly distracting. Every page of dialogue someone is saying "dude," "dig," and "gees." Let's be honest, even back in 1997 when this book was written it was only between losers if two middle-aged men threw "dude" into every other sentence like Hoagy and Very do in this novel. There's also a tendency to name-drop various celebrities and dated pop culture into the prose, and Handler has the killer-written lengthy chapters in lengthy italic font which crosses eyes after a while.
Verdict: Even beyond the prose nitpicks above, the dialogue is usually more like attempts at cleverness than interesting or fun to read. The mystery itself has a well-plotted whodunit to figure out and a clear twist at the end but overall I wasn't a fan.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
The setup has promise, the Hoag character is kind of interesting, and Handler uses smart pacing with events moving along at a good cadence, but there are a number of prose issues that are almost read-killingly distracting. Every page of dialogue someone is saying "dude," "dig," and "gees." Let's be honest, even back in 1997 when this book was written it was only between losers if two middle-aged men threw "dude" into every other sentence like Hoagy and Very do in this novel. There's also a tendency to name-drop various celebrities and dated pop culture into the prose, and Handler has the killer-written lengthy chapters in lengthy italic font which crosses eyes after a while.
Verdict: Even beyond the prose nitpicks above, the dialogue is usually more like attempts at cleverness than interesting or fun to read. The mystery itself has a well-plotted whodunit to figure out and a clear twist at the end but overall I wasn't a fan.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
December 19, 2017
I have been a fan of David Handler from the first book I read in the Stewart Hoag Series, and I couldn't wait to get started on this book. It was definitely darker than the previous books since it did deal with a serial killer, and things are not as they appear. The book held my attention from the first page and I liked the twist in the end, as always I love Hoagy's witty dialog and Lulu his trusted helper, I feel compelled to dress better when reading the books, lucky for me though it never lasts long. This series definitely makes my list books I like to read over and over again.
January 30, 2022
I continue to love this series. The books never disappoint. This one is quite a departure from previous books. Hoagy receives anonymously in the mail the first chapter in a disturbing novel about a serial killer. The next day, he is horrified to learn that most of the story wasn’t fiction. As the chapters and bodies pile up, Hoagy is thrust back into the uneasy relationship with Detective Romaine Very. Tight, intense mystery with Hoagy’s delightful sarcastic sangfroid and, of course, the lovely LuLu.
August 3, 2018
Another enjoyable read by David Handler
Stewart Hoag(Hoagy) finds himself enmeshed in another mystery as a serial killer sends him a manuscript that is a play by play account of his killings. As parts of the stories seem familiar to him, he must investigate an old friend and come to the worst conclusion.
As with the other books in this series, it does not disappoint. It has its funny moments and its sad ones. But in the end, Hoagy figures it out.
Stewart Hoag(Hoagy) finds himself enmeshed in another mystery as a serial killer sends him a manuscript that is a play by play account of his killings. As parts of the stories seem familiar to him, he must investigate an old friend and come to the worst conclusion.
As with the other books in this series, it does not disappoint. It has its funny moments and its sad ones. But in the end, Hoagy figures it out.
March 1, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, it was cosy, but at times a little too rough. I thought it would be hard to get into as it is a later book in the series, but it gave enough information to be able to follow what was going on.
September 2, 2019
I listened to this book. I am new to the Stewart Hoag series and probably shouldn't have started at #8, but I didn't know it was a series. Anyway, it stands alone as a murder mystery. I enjoyed it very much. The writing is fun. I plan to listen to them all!
June 14, 2021
What if life went a different way?
Glued to the page, man, I was glued. Could not stop. I had figured out who the perp was not too far into the book because I’m used to the tricks, and…I just knew. A good read. A sad read, but also a good ending. What if. What if…
Glued to the page, man, I was glued. Could not stop. I had figured out who the perp was not too far into the book because I’m used to the tricks, and…I just knew. A good read. A sad read, but also a good ending. What if. What if…
October 28, 2023
Excellent mystery
A semi-failed writer becomes involved in serial murders bc the killer sends a chapter on each murder to him. The book is tension-filler, clever, with amazing characters. Lulu is among the best of his characters. She is also his dog. Worth reading.
A semi-failed writer becomes involved in serial murders bc the killer sends a chapter on each murder to him. The book is tension-filler, clever, with amazing characters. Lulu is among the best of his characters. She is also his dog. Worth reading.
November 1, 2023
A different sort of Hoagy
In this book, Stewart Goat is not ghost writing a book for a celebrity. In it, he has a mystery if his own. An unknown person wants to collaborate with him on a book about a serial killer ANF Host suspects he knows who. The ending was a complete surprise.
In this book, Stewart Goat is not ghost writing a book for a celebrity. In it, he has a mystery if his own. An unknown person wants to collaborate with him on a book about a serial killer ANF Host suspects he knows who. The ending was a complete surprise.
November 4, 2024
A mystery-fantasy in which a ghostwriter and his dog, who understands English and knows how to track down evildoers, solve the crime while writing about celebrities. Part of a series that I read mainly because it's funny. Even if it is about a serial killer.
September 22, 2017
Creepy. A good mystery in a well-written series.
March 8, 2019
Pretty obvious who had done it before the end, but still an engrossing read to see their motive.
February 6, 2020
I enjoy these Stewart Hoagy mysteries.
April 1, 2024
Not my favorite. Very dark and no humor at all.
January 29, 2026
Stewart Hoag #8 Hoagy is getting letters from a serial killer. I liked it but not his best. 3 stars.
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August 11, 2011Gotta love Lulu, the cat food eating Basset Hound sidekick!
March 13, 2013
A fun read, clever concept but not a memorable book.
March 31, 2012
Witty repartee, but forgettable.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews