Library Journal
Kaminsky takes listeners on another trip back to World War II America in this Toby Peters mystery. Originally published in 1985, the book is vintage Kaminsky as real-life people seek help from Toby's private detective agency. Here, boxing legend Joe Louis finds himself involved in murder. "The Brown Bomber" has discovered a body on the beach at Santa Monica, but when he's thought to be a suspect, he calls on Toby to help him out. It's not long before Toby finds out that not everyone wants him poking around the investigation; a particularly nasty fellow finds a most ingenious use for a telephone book as he tries to persuade Toby to "butt out." Tom Parker's staccato presentation helps to set the mood for this lively noir mystery; his ability to wring a laugh out of Kaminsky's text makes this an audiobook that will be a welcome addition to any library.-Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile
The Toby Peters mysteries by Stuart Kaminsky are period pieces with an enjoyably wry style. Narrator-hero Peters, a luckless, self-deprecating private eye in 1940s Hollywood, helps famous clients and interacts with a colorful cast of supporting characters. In this outing the guest celebrity is heavyweight champ Joe Louis, who proclaims his innocence of murder but who also seems to have something to hide. Tom Parker serves the story well. The bad guys require the "dems" and "doze" of hard- boiled slang while eccentric characters, such as a Norwegian midget and a near-deaf landlady, offer a range of other vocal challenges, all of which he handles well. Most importantly, Parker makes Toby Peters someone you like and root for. G.H. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine