To Catch a Spy

Toby Peters #22

by Stuart M. Kaminsky

With a hilarious new Hollywood thriller and in the hire of the urbane, amusing screen star Cary Grant, private investigator Toby Peters continues a madcap career that has cast him as sleuth to such movie luminaries as Humphrey Bogart, the Marx Brothers, Bette Davis, Mae West, and Charlie Chaplin. Like many a movie mystery, this one begins in the middle of the night, when Toby, trying to deliver a package at Grant's behest, finds himself with a corpse on his hands, a lump on his head, and an odd message from a dying man. Now in pursuit of a murderer, Toby and Grant, who proves to be no less acrobatic than he is resourceful, follow a trail of clues that leads them eventually to a den of Nazi sympathizers and finally to a nighttime confrontation on a mountaintop with a very determined and formidably well-armed killer. As always, Toby can count on the aid of his friends: the unsanitary dentist Shelly Minck, with whom Toby shares an office; the huge wrestler-turned-poet Jerry Butler; the suave Swiss little person Gunther Whertman, who has mastered as many languages as he has skills; and Mrs. Irene Plaut, Toby's daffy but dogged landlady. As always, too, all four lend Toby their loyalty and support, although they are more likely to add to the chaos. "Kaminsky has such a good time writing, and he so loves the period, that the reader is swept along willy-nilly."—New York Times Book Review "Makes the totally wacky possible.... Peters [is] an unblemished delight."—Washington Post

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2002

About the author

Stuart M. Kaminsky wrote 50 published novels, 5 biographies, 4 textbooks and 35 short stories. He also has screenwriting credits on four produced films including ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, ENEMY TERRITORY, A WOMAN IN THE WIND and HIDDEN FEARS. He was a past president of the Mystery Writers of America and was nominated for six prestigious Edgar Allen Poe Awards including one for his short story “Snow” in 1999. He won an Edgar for his novel A COLD RED SUNRISE, which was also awarded the Prix De Roman D’Aventure of France. He was nominated for both a Shamus Award and a McCavity Readers Choice Award.

Kaminsky wrote several popular series including those featuring Lew Fonesca, Abraham Lieberman, Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, and Toby Peters. He also wrote two original "Rockford Files " novels. He was the 50th annual recipient of the Grandmaster 2006 for Lifetime Achievement from the Mystery Writers of America.

Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievement award) in 2007.

His nonfiction books including BASIC FILMMAKING, WRITING FOR TELEVISION, AMERICAN FILM GENRES, and biographies of GARY COOPER, CLINT EASTWOOD, JOHN HUSTON and DON SIEGEL. BEHIND THE MYSTERY was published by Hot House Press in 2005 and nominated by Mystery Writers of America for Best Critical/Biographical book in 2006.

Kaminsky held a B.S. in Journalism and an M.A. in English from The University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Speech from Northwestern University where he taught for 16 years before becoming a Professor at Florida State. where he headed the Graduate Conservatory in Film and Television Production. He left Florida State in 1994 to pursue full-time writing.

Kaminsky and his wife, Enid Perll, moved to St. Louis, Missouri in March 2009 to await a liver transplant to treat the hepatitis he contracted as an army medic in the late 1950s in France. He suffered a stroke two days after their arrival in St. Louis, which made him ineligible for a transplant. He died on October 9, 2009.

Reviews

[Chuck Neumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To Catch a Spy" is the 22nd Toby Peters mystery. I have read many of them, this one occurs in 1944 and the end of the war seems close. Peters is a L.A. private investigator who is hired by movie stars and aided by an unusual group that includes a dwarf, a huge ex-wrestler who is now a poet and a not very capable dentist. His brother is a cop who has mellowed a bit over the years and usually has a hand in his cases as well. In this novel he is hired by Cary Grant, who is working with British intelligence, to give a man a bundle of money for a list of Nazi spies. Of course, things soon get out of hand and dead bodies turn up. Peters helps Cary Grant uncover a cell of Nazi spies and, in a scene that reminds me a little of "North by Northwest", uncovers the head of the group. Cary is a more active client then some, and saves Peters a number of times. The story is entertaining and the characters are very interesting. As always, author Kaminsky puts the readers into the time period with numerous details of life at that time. This was one of the best in the series, I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it to fans of mysteries, film buffs, and fans of Cary Grant.

[Kelly Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars for To Catch a Spy
~ by Stuart Kaminsky ~

This is my 3rd Toby Peters, Private Investigator Mystery. This one has Cary Grant as a 'supporting' character, which was the reason I checked it out. I've always been a big fan.

As the title suggests, this murder/spy/mystery takes place during World War II. What more can you ask for, Toby Peters, Cary Grant, and a group of intriguing bad guys.

I was raised, and still live in the Los Angeles area, so I really enjoy these 1940's murder mysteries - recalling a long, lost, old Hollywood. With a Colombo-like PI, Toby Peters, and his self-deprecating humor, he's an enjoyable character. It's a quick read that serves up equal parts 'danger' and fun.

[James Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fact: actor Cary Grant was a spy for British Intelligence, during WWII
In this adventure: Toby has to help Cary Grant against a Nazi cell operating in Los Angeles. And he has to do it without ruining Grant's career or getting him shot.

Fun with Nazis... uh, so to speak. Toby has the help of Swiss midget and translator, Gunther, as well as ex-wrestler, Jeremy. Also involved is the questionably valuable Shelly, dentist and pain-in-the-ass.

More Toby Peters fun. And now there are only two more books, then no more Toby...

[Dara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Period mystery. The book takes place during the 1940's. The main character is Toby Peters a private investigator who shares an office with a dentist. A case is presented to him to be a middle man in a drop off, of course it all goes terribly wrong and he finds himself with a dead body. It's a slower read going through his day to day actions of eating breakfast with the landlady and stopping at a café to eat, but also include a bit of action of getting kidnapped and being held at gun point.

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun Kaminsky! I listened to this book on Audible and the narrator was really good. His "Cary Grant' was pretty impressive. He sounded just like Cary Grant--an not a caricature of the actor. The story was plausible and fun. This was my second Kaminsky book and I think I'll do some more, just because they are fun, light reading.

[Raymond Parish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuart Kaminsky was a legend in mystery series writing, and his Toby Peters WW II era series is my favorite among his multiple choice genius. I don't know how I missed To Catch a Spy, but it reads like spending time with a familiar friend. Just enough tension. Peter's funny, quirky cast of collaboraters, and Cary Grant as a central character.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaminsky writes fun, interesting and imaginative mysteries all with backgrounds set in the war years Los Angeles. Rationing, news reels and gossip set the atmosphere while Toby stumbles after the culprits. I enjoy this series and this book was a great example of series.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great entertainment!

Kaminsky's Toby Peters is pure entertainment. Blending history, Hollywood and humor is a masterful way to entertain his readers. You may count on him to remove you from today into a fanciful and fun yesterday.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crayton Grant

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

the meals Mrs. Plautt comes up with!!

[Amanda Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. A classic detective with the right intentions, even though he's gotta deal with the Lucille Ball antics. (I'm a huge Lucy fan too.) Light and crazy and fun everytime.

[F.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best installment, but a perfectly serviceable spy thriller nonetheless. I liked the characterisation of Cary Grant.

[Raquel Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cary Grant e o nosso protagonista perseguem nazis com a ajuda da equipa do costume.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not one for hardboiled detective stories, but I love, love, love this one. Dashing Cary Grant is Toby's sidekick here. His conversations with Mrs. Plaut are comedic gold.

[Randal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know Kaminsky is a MWA Grand Master, but this book was really disappointing. The story takes place in 1944 and involves Cary Grant working as a spy for British Intelligence hunting down Nazis in Los Angeles. OK. Ridiculous. But, my big complaint is that Kaminsky doesn't let a single bit of his research go to waste. Not one bit. Take this paragraph, for example, as sleuth Toby Peters eats his lunch while reading the newspaper:

"Twenty minutes later and eighty cents lighter, I knew that Japanese girls were now wearing slacks or mompei instead of kimonos; was reminded that USC was going to play undefeated Washington in the Rose Bowl in a few hours; that Alley Oop, stone ax in hand, was lost in time; that Scorchy Smith was being transferred to combat duty; that the Red Army, under Ukranian General Nikolai Vatotin, was within twenty-seven miles of the Polish border; and that the Royal Air Force had bombed Berlin for the ninth straight day."

Seriously? If I wanted to read a newspaper from 1944, I would read a newspaper from 1944. Not one bit of that has anything to do with the plot. And, if that was the only time Kaminsky did something like that, I'd keep my mouth shut about it...

I've read some of his earlier books and found them charming. Even Cary Grant can't make this one charming.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me begin by stating Stuart Kaminsky is a favorite of mine. I kept wanting this book to equal the previous Toby Peters novels I've thoroughly enjoyed-- or the outstanding Abe Lieberman series-- but it never did. Despite a bright piece of writing here and there, this story just came up short, both in plot and the cast of characters. I was little disappointed, but will give the talented Mr. Kaminsky the benefit of the doubt and keep reading his novels.

[MEK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very lighthearted and fast moving mystery set in WWII era Hollywood. Fun to "see" Cary Grant as a spy. The characters are all eccentric and quite improbable. A fun read on a plane or at the beach. The main character, Toby Peters, is quite endearing. This is marshmallow fluff with a hint of booze!

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toby Peters w/ Cary Grant

[Joe O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Good; Continuing character: Toby Peters; Hollywood gumshoe has famous stars as clients, this time its Cary Grant who he works with to track down a local group of Nazis

[Mark Baller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read quick and fun liked it - thanks Eric

[Estelle]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13084684

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good storyteller. You just sit back and enjoy.

[Jon Ziomek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Toby Peters series is fun. It's light and entertaining. This one is near the end of the series, and the author is starting to show signs of weariness.