Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club discussion
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The Question of the Missing Head
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The Question of the Missing Head - VBC August 2017
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Erin, haven't read "The Curious Incident..." (or seen it), but I can imagine that there would be some similarities.
I'm almost 2/3 of the way through It's entertaining and reminds me a lot of the TV detective Monk. Asperger's syndrome is a useful one for detectives, including the Great Detective to whom Merrily alludes.
I believe there's been plenty of speculation that Sherlock Holmes is autistic (would not read that way in the Kanon, but does read that way sometimes in the Canon), and one of the short stories in LRK's last anthology of Holmes-related stories discussed that (there are probably other ones out there).I liked this a lot, and I'm interested that one of the authors has Asperger's (is an Aspie? Not sure how to phrase that.) so presumably it is pretty accurate in terms of how the inside of someone with the condition's head works. I might have thought it was a bit too on-the-nose if I didn't know that. I thought it was a good mystery, too.
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Emily, I agree - I liked Samuel's self-awareness and his ability to explain to the reader how he sees the world, or why something is disturbing to him. Personally I don't see the Holmes of Canon as autistic or Apsberger's - I think he's too socially comfortable for that, even if he chooses sometimes to be rude - but I think BBC's "Sherlock" might arguably be on the spectrum (especially when you consider the lost sister, if you know the series).
Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," was asked if Sheldon is autistic and said that they never mention it on the show, but probably yes.
I'm still in the midst of my re-read, but enjoying it a second time - and the rest of the series is good, too!
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So I was curious about this as well and went searching yesterday. There's actually just one author, not two. E.J. Copperman is a pseudonym that Jeff Cohen uses for some of his books. And I guess he was just being clever with the two names in the author's forward.
Looking through his website, though, Jeff Cohen has written a couple of non-fiction books for parents with autistic children. So it sounds like he has some experience with autism; just not the perspective he's writing from as Samuel.
Coincidentally, I just saw this article pop up on BookRiot yesterday. Advice from someone on the spectrum about writing about autistic characters.
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That was a very interesting article, Erin. It would seem that Samuel in some ways violates the author's "rules," in that Samuel views his Apsberger's as a "different" approach to the world rather than a disability. On the other hand, pursuant to the author's point that autistic people are individuals, he's entitled to his opinion!
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That's a good point! Of course in Samuel's case, I think (and this is a Holmesian quality) that he is so proud of his intellect that he fears being viewed as limited because of his Asperger's. I noted the place where Ms. Washburne refers to him as "high functioning," and he's offended because that presumes someone like him wouldn't be (he tells her that he has an IQ of 137!).
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Do you have your own "litmus test" for telling yourself something about a person?
Merrily wrote: "What do you think of Samuel's "personality test" of asking people what their favorite Beatle's song is? Do you think a choice like that does reveal something about a person? Do you have your own ..."
I have to say I wasn't crazy about this - it didn't seem to fit very well with the characterization, and also I don't think it's a very good test. People like or don't like songs for all sorts of reasons (for instance, "Hey Jude" was the last song they played at all my junior high dances, so I associate it with sitting unloved in a corner, although just considering it as a song I like it fine.)
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That's true, although I think I'd bond with anyone who hated the same songs I do, LOL...
Merrily wrote: "What do you think of Samuel's "personality test" of asking people what their favorite Beatle's song is? Do you think a choice like that does reveal something about a person? Do you have your own ..."
When I was dating (some years ago), I used to ask blind dates to tell me what they are currently reading and who their favorite author was. That was very telling, especially if they weren't reading anything at all!
My son's method is showing the latest girlfriend "The Princess Bride". If she doesn't get it he assumes incompatibility. I've seen others do the same thing with Monty Python's Holy Grail too.
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That's a good one - nothing like a shared reading interest to be the basis of a friendship, or finding that a person doesn't read at all and then thinking "maybe not"!
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LOL - as one who can quote "The Princess Bride" extensively, and thinks Killer Rabbits are hysterical, I like his style.
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Ah, youth. I think Samuel would despair of you. On the other hand, "Imagine" is a great song, so he might give you a pass based on that choice.
I was trying to figure out what my favorite Beatles song is and decided that it's probably "Let it Be." I don't know what Samuel thinks of that one!
But, really, does it seem likely that Samuel would use a litmus test that is so subjective and doesn't have data to back it up? It didn't ring true to me.
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Well, he says at one point that his focus on the Beatles is one of his Apsberger's "things," so perhaps it's to be viewed as an offshoot of that. It doesn't bother me that it's subjective, because after all it's his way of telling himself about people - probably about the same as someone saying "I don't trust people who don't like dogs." All part of reminding us that he's human, too.
MaryL wrote: "My son's method is showing the latest girlfriend "The Princess Bride". If she doesn't get it he assumes incompatibility. I've seen others do the same thing with Monty Python's Holy Grail too."Hahaha! That's great MaryL. Monty Python's Holy Grail might be one I'd use, although I allow that not everyone has the same wacky, weird sense of humor as I do. But, the movie test might have helped my son out. He dated and then was engaged to a girl for a total of five years. She had not seen Moulin Rouge, and my son was shocked that she hadn't. He should have seen it as a harbinger of things to come.
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See, these things are more important than some might think!
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I'm only about halfway through, so I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but that just killed me yesterday while reading.
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I did think that was odd, Erin, but I decided that the "Commander" is probably seriously henpecked and that is wife is sufficiently overpowering that she made him tell him everything about the facility. He's obviously not highly competent or experienced, so perhaps she has been "managing him" behind the scenes...
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I finished yesterday. Enjoyed it very much and hope to read more. I liked the explanations of why Samuel reacts the way he does, but I wonder if the next books are so instructive? It might get tiresome after reading a few more.
I read the second one, and in neither case did I find it tiresome per se, though I did wonder whether someone with Asperger's would really spend so much time consciously explaining it.
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Sorry, all, I've been away for the last week and finding it hard to chip in. Now that we're two weeks into August, I think we can declare it okay to discuss the end of the book, although you might put a "spoiler" warning at the top of your message just in case.
So...did you see the solution coming? I have to say I didn't!
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I think in the later books, the author has to walk that line of explaining some things for those who haven't read the earlier books, while avoiding boring or irritating the fans. Thus far, I've read all the books and don't find that Samuel over explains. Sometimes, of course, he does it because he's having an inappropriate reaction to something he's hasn't understood, such as his puzzlement over the expression "knock yourself out." I think the author also does a good job of putting an explanation (often) in the mouth of one of the other characters, such as when Samuel's mother or Ms. Washburn see that he's reacting in a strange way and tell him what the speaker really meant (for example).
Erin wrote: "Looks like we've petered out on our discussion a bit. How's everyone doing with the read?"I was waiting to jump back in after I finished reading it, which I did yesterday. I loved it! I even read the first 40 pages of the next one, but I had to quit because I had another book I needed to read for a review. I stayed up all night reading it, the new Kristi Belcamino book. And, I'm halfway through Killer Look by Linda Fairstein that I started on a car trip.
Back to The Question of the Missing Head, I am so glad that I finally started this series. Samuel is a great character, and his autism provides an interesting voice for a main character. My daughter was the head of an autism center at one point, and I have always found the spectrum of it, from lower to higher functioning fascinating. Of course, Samuel wouldn't like me using the terms low functioning or high functioning. His attitude that his Asperger's is a different way of viewing the world and not a disorder appeals to me from my view as a former teacher that children approach learning in different ways, and that the greatest disservice we do in education is try to fit learning into one size fits all.
Oh, and I do like Samuel's personality test, Merrily, and his interpretation of what someone's favorite Beatle song is. And, I'm not going to give a spoiler, but I think the last sentence in the book is such a hoot, so clever.
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I was waiting to jump back in after I finished reading it, which I did yesterday. I loved it..."
I'm glad that you liked it, Kathy, hope you write something up for your blog as I think this series could use a wider audience! I have enjoyed all the books and already have the new one pre-ordered.
One thing I really enjoy is Samuel's relationship with Ms. Washburn and his dawning awareness that she's important to him (although his mother is aware of it before he is).
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I was kind of wondering that too. I can totally imagine someone with Asperger's (or maybe their friends/family) having to explain or apologize for "rude" behavior frequently. Like Samuel with Detective Lapides in this book, where Lapides clearly thinks Samuel is being difficult on purpose at the beginning.
Merrily, I will try to do something on the blog when the new one comes out in October. I should have time to read the other two by then. And, I'm finding Samuel's relationship with Ms. Washburn interesting, too. His mother is pretty savvy about things.
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I really like the "supporting cast"! BTW, I totally had the head of security as mixed up in the murder - even though he was so obvious! I was quite surprised at the eventual solution!
I just haven't had the time to read that book this month. 😠
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I hope you get to it eventually, Laura, it really is good.
I enjoyed the book and would like to read the rest. The relationship with the detective was amusing; reminded me of Holmes and Lestrade.
I thought it was interesting that Samuel made a point of Monk being OCD and not autistic.
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The relationship with the detective was amusing; reminded me of Holmes and Lestrade.
I thought it was interesting that Samuel made a point of ..."
Yes, that was interesting, Carole, I had totally forgotten that Monk was OCD! Last night I was trying to think of another detective series that features a detective with a mental or physical "difference," and couldn't come up with many. I know there is a series with a blind detective (Sir John Fielding, if I'm correct), and there were the old Ellery Queen "Drury Lane" books (Drury Lane was deaf). And then we have Ironside and the Lincoln Rhyme series - both of them paralyzed. But mental differences are less common, unless you count the many, many detective series in which the lead character is seriously depressed!
So will Samuel and Ms. Washburn get together?
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I hope they will, but they haven't yet!
Spoiler - they kiss at the end of book 3. Just finished it last night.Samuel always seems very young to me. I guess he's supposed to be, what, late 20s? But somehow his voice sounds like a teenager's.
Also, I wonder if Samuel's father will show up at some point.
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Samuel always seems very young to me. I guess he's supposed to be, what, late 20s? But somehow his voice sounds like a teenag..."
That's weird, I could swear I'd read book 3, but I don't remember that (off to check Kindle). I have to say that I haven't formed a strong sense of Samuel's age, but late 20's isn't a bad guess. He's old enough to feel that he needs to explain why he still lives with his mother! From the way other people react to him, I'd say he's also old enough to be credible as a professional - there may be comments about the way he interacts with people, but not about his age.
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Samuel always seems very young to me. I guess he's supposed to be, what, late 20s? But somehow his voice sounds like a teenag..."
I went back to remind myself what happened - of course they kissed, how could I have forgotten? BTW, the fourth in the series comes out this fall.
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I got the sense that he was maybe in his early 30s, but that may just be me projecting my own age on a character that hasn't been given one, LOL.
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I got the sense that he was ma..."
I think early 30's is an excellent age, Erin!
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As I mentioned up-thread, the completely implausible idea that Mrs. Johnson would have enough knowledge about the facility's complex security system to even theorize how the crime was committed bugged me right off the bat. Then Commander Johnson being so completely narcissistic, insisting that everyone was trying to set him up every time someone asked him a question, even though no one at any time even insinuated that he may have committed the robbery or the murder. Way too convenient a red herring.
I thought it was more than a little ridiculous that the bad guys kidnapped Ms. Washburn to try and cut off her head to get the money in their account. It would have maybe gained them half a second head start before the authorities tracked down the receiving account and figured out who dunnit. Plus, does the FBI have to be brought in on cases involving that much money? I highly doubt some local police would have the jurisdiction in a ransom case involving $17MM.
And it was just so weird to me that poor Dr. Springer was a complete after-thought when really her murder should have been the first question. Who really cares how thieves got away with a frozen head when they also killed someone in a mysterious way?
I pretty much figured out who dunnit round about where Charlotte Selby disappears randomly from the institute and when Samuel asks what happens to her, Ackerman says she left the building but Johnson says she never signed out or whatever. I think that's probably why I had such a hard time finishing the book; I didn't much care how they got to the same answer once I new the answer.
If this had been more of a cerebral sort of mystery, I feel like it would have been a better fit. Samuel's business is "Questions Answered" after all. All the action at the end just felt totally incongruous to me.
Sorry for the long post, LOL.
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I think Samuel's focus is on the purloined (or not purloined) head because of his tendency to take things literally - and he was hired to answer that question, not solve Dr. Springer's murder.
And I don't think the amount of money involved in a crime brings in the FBI - it's whether someone crossed interstate lines in the crime's commission, or committed a federal crime to begin with (which wouldn't be stealing a head).
I agree with your other points - I thought the kidnapping of Ms. Washburne, for that purpose anyway, was pretty desperate!
Having said that, I like the series, and as with many, I think the books have improved as they go along...
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Ah! But he was hired to solve Dr. Springer's murder. His mother gave him a dollar and asked him who killed Dr. Springer, remember?
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Ah! But he was hired to solve Dr. Springer's murder. His mother gave him a dollar and asked him who kill..."
That's right, I did forget! Well, perhaps he feels that the original case takes precedence? Or that they are so intertwined that he's going to solve the murder by figuring out who took the head?
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Samuel Hoenig has Asperger’s syndrome, but he does not view this as a disability, merely as a different way of seeing the world. His astute mother, with whom he still lives, has done a fine job of preparing him to live and interact with “normal” people, recognizing and accepting his coping mechanisms (a need to do certain routine activities at a specific time, a tendency to act out physically at times of great frustration, difficulty in “reading” people from non-verbal cues) while making him aware that others may find them strange or off-putting. When the book begins, Samuel has just started his own business, “Questions Answered,” offering a service which (given his condition) he means quite literally. But it turns out that some of the questions that come to Samuel Hoenig are quite strange ones, and sometimes they get him involved in murders. With his colleague Ms. Washburne, for whom he begins to feel something that the reader recognizes as fondness, Samuel Hoenig finds himself operating a detective agency of sorts – because when your client is in trouble, “whodunit” turns out to be a question that needs answering, too.
One of the charming things about this book – and the ones that follow in the series – is Samuel Hoenig’s voice, as he is our narrator. The author does an excellent job of putting us in the mind of someone who sees the world very differently than most of us, but whose differences are as much a strength in his chosen vocation as they are weaknesses. It’s also fascinating to see how Samuel’s colleagues, including his mother, work with him and around him to make “Questions Answered” a success.
If you read this book, I think you’ll enjoy it, and I look forward to discussing it with you!
(PS In Samuel you may see a resemblance to a certain Great Detective many of us admire, but perhaps that's just me.)