"Washed-up celebrity ghostwriter Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag has finally rediscovered his voice and is making progress on what he hopes will be his long-awaited second novel. Burrowed up in his less-than-luxurious, sweltering fifth floor walk-up, he tries not to think of the disparities between himself and his ex-wife, celebrity actress Merilee Nash, who is sifting through film offers - and also her fickle feelings for Hoagy - from her elegant eight-room apartment looking over Central Park. When Merilee offers her home for Hoagy's use while she's shooting on location, hope blossoms that he might finally get some real work done... and solidify their rekindling romance.Then Hoagy receives a call from his literary agent asking if he can meet with publishing's most ruthless and reviled editor, Sylvia James, for a drink at the Algonquin Hotel. After disclosing that aging literary genius Addison James - also Sylvia's father and main client - has not in fact written his last two bestselling historical sagas, Sylvia reveals her suspicions that Addison's assistant Tommy O'Brien - the true author - has run away with their most recent manuscript and is holding it for ransom. Tempted by Sylvia's offer to bid a hefty advance for his novel-in-progress, Hoagy agrees to help unearth Tommy's sudden disappearance. If only he'd known exactly what he was getting himself into, he might've saved himself from the ensuing grief that follows in his hot pursuit of Tommy. But then, that wouldn't be a normal day in the life of Hoagy. With clattering claims of a mugging, a stolen manuscript, and three murders, now it's up to Hoagy and his short-legged sidekick Lulu to unravel this baffling, bizarre case."--Publisher description.
Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag is making progress on what he hopes will be his long-awaited second novel. When his ex-wife Merilee offers her home for Hoagy's use while she's shooting on location, hope blossoms that he might finally get some real work done... and solidify their rekindling romance. His literary agent asks Hoagy to meet with reviled editor Sylvia James, for a drink at the Algonquin Hotel. She discloses that aging literary genius Addison James-- her father and main client-- has not written his last two bestselling historical sagas, and his assistant Tommy O'Brien has run away, holding the most recent manuscript for ransom. Now Hoagy is in hot pursuit of O'Brien-- and knee-deep in a mugging, a stolen manuscript, and three murders. -- adapted from jacket