Harry Lipkin, Private Eye - by Barry Fantoni (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Meet Harry Lipkin: Part Sam Spade, part Woody Allen, all mensch.

Harry Lipkin is a tough-talking, soft-chewing, rough-around-the-edges, slow-around-the-corners private investigator who carries a .38 along with a spare set of dentures. He's not the best P.I. in Miami, but at eighty-seven, he's certainly the oldest. His latest client, Mrs. Norma Weinberger, has a problem close to home. Someone has been stealing sentimental trinkets and the occasional priceless jewel from her; someone she employs, trusts, cares for, and treats like family. The suspect list reads like the cast of Clue--the chauffeur, butler, maid, chef, and gardener all seem to have motive, access, and a lot more moolah than they should. With the stakes fairly low and blood pressure that's a little too high, Harry Lipkin must figure out whodunit before the thief strikes again.

Review Quotes

"I love this man. I want to eat blintzes with him and talk about macular degeneration all day. What I'm trying to say is: This is a seriously funny book." --A.J. Jacobs, bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically and Drop Dead Healthy

"[A] truly fine detective novel. . . . Startling . . . Moving . . . An offbeat beauty." --Booklist (starred review)

"A quick joy. . . . Harry is an eminently likeable character, and his narration is funny and engaging." --The A. V. Club

"A book to ponder, as well as to enjoy." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"We admittedly enjoy the cool wave of Nordic crime fiction hitting our shores. But for a change of pace . . . look to sunny Florida, [and] private eye Harry Lipkin." --New York Post

"Harry Lipkin is the genuine article." --The Christian Science Monitor

"[Harry Lipkin] is a delightful creation--Philip Marlowe in his late eighties, should he have ever reached them, channeled through Walter Matthau with a touch of George Burns." --Eurocrime

"Harry gets the job done--as does Fantoni, whose great Jewish humor and astutely detailed observation create a tale that rips along at a pace which Lipkin's hips can only remember with fondness." --The Independent (London)

"A good deal of gentle fun." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author