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Amorous apes, fanatical feminists, tyrannical tycoons, idealistic animal rights activists, and sinister scientists: these are just some of the bizarre cast of characters of
The Last Manly Man, a thoroughly entertaining comic caper featuring Sparkle Hayter's heroine, Robin Hudson. Integrating social satire into the mystery format is a challenging task mastered by just a few authors (Carl Hiaasen for one). Sparkle Hayter has earned entry into that select group with her popular series based around Hudson, a feisty New York City-based tabloid TV reporter (and, of course, amateur sleuth). The plot line of
The Last Manly Man finds Robin in a bizarre encounter with a strange man in a hat, which leads her on a hunt for a sinister new drug and a cache of kidnapped bonobo apes. Occasionally, the story seems more a frame on which Hayter can drape her often acidic, always amusing observations on such topics as sexual politics and the state of contemporary media.
If the jibes at television news appear well founded, that's likely because the Edmonton-raised Hayter, before moving to the Big Apple, was herself a media personality, via stints at CNN and Global Television in Toronto. She has also written and performed stand-up comedy, an experience easily detected in her writing. Hayter's popular series of Robin Hudson mysteries also includes What's a Girl Gotta Do , Nice Girls Finish Last , Revenge of the Cootie Girls, and The Chelsea Girl Murders. Readers who have enjoyed any of those titles will find much to savour in The Last Manly Man : this Sparkle shines. --Kerry Doole
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Library Journal
Manhattan newswoman Robin Hudson's (Revenge of the Cootie Girls, LJ 3/1/97) latest unlikely adventure involves a women's conference, a series on the "man of the future," the approach of her 40th birthday, and, of course, murder. Off-the-wall humor; a welcome diversion.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
