A review by hannahstohelit
The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan by Otto Penzler, Stuart Palmer

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was very fun! The Hollywood setting's affect on the writing was maybe a bit too "cute" for me but I don't know what about that was my not being used to Palmer in novel form and what was actually the setting itself. Miss Withers and Inspector Piper were fun as always, and in particular the midway twist was a cool way to use them. The mystery was interesting but,

as someone who's used to the Agatha Christie style of "name every poison someone kills people with," the idea that the whole mystery is "how can you break someone's neck without leaving a trace" and then we never really find out how" is sort of disappointing

.  Overall fun, though I now would want to try one of the Miss Withers stories actually set in New York City.