"Engaging amateur sleuth"
After the serial killer fiasco in Los Angeles (BIRD LIVES)
and counseling in New York, jazz pianist Evan Horne flees
to London to star in a week long gig. His friend Professor
Ace Buffington is also in the city following a sabbatical
from UNLV. Ace pleads with Evan to join him in Amsterdam
to research a biography on music legend Chet Baker, who
died either by suicide or homicide in the city. Evan
refuses remembering the trouble that occurs whenever he
works with Ace such as he did on the Clifford Brown
recording. Evan travels to Amsterdam for another gig after his
successful performances at Ronnie Scott's place. He stays
at the same hotel that Chet took that nose-dive in 1988.
Ace has already checked out of that hotel so Evan feels
relieved that he will not get involved in another case.
However, Evan cannot resist peaking inside the room Baker
dived through the window. When Evan sees Ace's satchel
containing his notes, he becomes concerned for his friend.
He begins making inquiries that force him to follow the
last days' trail of Chet Baker. Readers looking for an entertaining, but a bit different
kind of an amateur sleuth tale will enjoy LOOKING FOR CHET
BAKER and the other novels in the Horne series. The story
line provides insight into jazz (past and present) while
spinning an engaging mystery involving a real persona.
Evan plays the right notes so that the audience feels as if
they attend a masterful concerto written by talented Bill
Moody, whose love for jazz shines through each Horne
selection. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted February 7, 2002
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