The Midnight Special

I feel like I'm an old friend of Thomas Purdue and his friends. In his third mystery novel, Larry once again has provided us with a great who-dun-it, all the while throwing us bits of information about the world of music box collecting and repair.

With lovable, intelligent, interesting and eccentric characters, and the brilliant wit that only author Karp, a master at words, can write, this intriguing mystery dances through the streets of New York against a background of music, murder, and mayhem. Dr. Purdue, his friends, and his ingenious ways of solving the music box murders make Larry Karp's book a gem with a plot that twists and turns to a surprising ending. The book is a winner, a page-turner, and I eagerly await the next Thomas Purdue mystery.

I see that other reviewers have summarized the plot of this latest Thomas Purdue music box mystery, so I won't go over that ground again. I'll just tell you that if you like real mysteries, ones that you can't figure out as you go along, you'll like this book. And if you like wit and intelligence in your mystery novels, you'll like this book. And if you're a student of the human condition, interested in what makes people tick, you'll like this book. In fact, if you've read the previous two books featuring Dr. Purdue, you'll LOVE this book. I especially liked seeing new facets of characters I'd met before. The ending has a twist that had me on the edge of my seat, and now I can't wait for the next one! Do yourself a favor and get this book!

Thomas Purdue is a very multi-faceted (fictional) person, as is expertly delineated in the books about him by his creator, Larry Karp. This third adventure is another fast-paced tour of Manhattan, an introduction to yet another musical mechanical marvel, and a welcome re-introduction to the Purdue Repertory Company. Well, not theatrical repertory, just a most unusual group of friends, who seem to have, collectively, nearly every skill needed by the man or woman who is engaged in nearly any kind of activity, legal or otherwise. I'm not so sure I'd like to meet some of them, but for the most part, they're charming, gregarious, curious, and loyal to a fault. This episode begins with a phone call. One of Thomas' older collector/restorer friends, Edna, is quite certain she's killed someone, and would like Thomas's advice. When he arrives at her flat, it's to discover that the dead is not dead after all. Thomas still must go to the hospital however, as Frank the Crank has been beaten up. And the day isn't over yet, because when he arrives back at his own home, it's to discover an in-progress burglary attempt. But this is no ordinary robber. Young Jitters Levitsky needs money to feed and house himself and his grandfather, and having 'heard' that the Purdue apartment holds treasures, he invades. Clumsily. Thus, Thomas adds another to the company, for young Jitters is that rara avis, a synesthetic. Jitters sees the colors and pictures of the sounds of words and/or music. His name is derived from another condition, however, a tremor in his hands. But Thomas knows just what to do with this young man; take him to Edna, who's had a stroke, leaving her somewhat restricted as a music box repairwoman. Feeling totally useless, she wants to take the Midnight Special (a euphemism for suicide among the elderly) and solve a bunch of her problems all at once. Thomas won't hear of it. But there's more! When Sarah, Thomas's estranged wife returns from a visit to her sister in Montana, she seems to have an extra long-lasting bout of jet-lag, which makes her more than usually cranky. The biggest problem of all, however, is the one-of-a-kind music box belonging to Rudolph Hartmann, whose wife Lettie was a famous sculptor before a particularly nasty form of dementia grabbed her. This box was to be her insurance policy, until it went missing, along with the terribly precious and equally fragile painting on silk that was inside it. This is a wonderfully warm book, believe it or not. The plot defies neat encapsulation. If you're of a certain age, you'll rejoice in the cadre of older persons exhibiting spunk and knowledge and persistence and caring and all sorts of wonderful qualities as they band together to help solve this puzzle. This book deserves the very highest accolades from the Senior Citizens of the World! Not to mention readers of any age, anywhere, in search of a crackling good yarn, well told and well-written.

He first heard the name Marcus Wilcox from his friend Edna Reynolds, who thought she killed the odious antique shop owner. By the time Man Med neurologist Dr. Thomas Purdue arrived at Edna's home, Marcus had left. He next hears the name Marcus from his long term buddy Broadway Schwartz that the man's antique shop has a special music box that Thomas being a collector would love to own. Marcus denies having any music box. Thomas knows something is not right when two thugs beat up his friend Frank the Crank insisting they know he sold the music box. Thomas and Broadway trace the trail of the phantom music box to Lucas Sterne, proprietor of a mid-fifties' music box emporium. Lucas sends the sleuths to New Rochelle to speak with sleazy Barton Ross. The duo returns to Manhattan where they meet Rudolph Hartmann and his apparently schizophrenic wife Lettie, the owners of the rare plerodiwenique-revolver music box. Thomas and Broadway continue searching the metropolitan area, as sightings and denials continue, but no music box is found as a con game may leave the Hartmanns with nothing but his memories. The third music box mystery, THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, is an entertaining amateur sleuth joy ride around Manhattan. The story line is fun as one thing leads to another, but seemingly never to the music box that is big enough to have required a truck to move it. Thomas remains a caring individual and the eccentric support cast augments the tale with behavioral oddities that makes the hero seem real. Readers will remain bullish on Larry Karp's unique mystery series.Harriet Klausner