THE BOY WHO NEVER GREW UP Stewart Hoag, Book 5

In this Chandleresque murder mystery, faded novelist Stewart Hoag comes to Hollywood to ghostwrite the memoirs of the title child-man, who happens to be the most successful film director of all time. While doing so, Hoag solves a murder, straightens out all the director’s problems, and encounters a plethora of seamy characters, all with the help of his star-struck bassett hound. Narrator Stechschulte fully plays the novel’s strong characterization, wicked satire, and excellent pulp-fiction dialogue, misinterpreting a passage here and there, but otherwise doing ample justice to enjoyable fare. Y.R. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]