Scamming the Birdman

Thomas Purdue #2

by Larry Karp

Life's been routine for Thomas Purdue since he and his friends solved the music box murders last Christmas. It's the following summer now, a steamy August in New York, and Thomas' friend Hugh Curtis has just burst in with the appalling news that someone ripped off his world-class collection of musical snuffboxes. Not just any someone, the thief is Vincent LoPriore, a very nasty, intimidating man who happens to be an ardent collector of elegant antique singing mechanical birds. Not only LoPriore enlisted the aid of Hugh's wife Maddy to make off the with the collection and all proof of Hugh's ownership. Worst of all, Maddy is now in the Manhattan Medical Emergency Room, with nine toes in the grave. Lost collection ... lost wife ... Hugh Curtis has no recourse. Or does he? Thomas has an idea. With the help of his old friends Broadway Schwartz, Big Al Resford, and Frank the Crank, he sets out to put matters right. But it's a big job, so Thomas recruits some new players into the gang; Edna Reynolds, makeup artist; Cleveland Gackle, lockpicker extraordinaire; Mick the Dick and Soapy Sandy, strong-arm and pickpocket team; "Nozey" Espinoza, hotel owner; and Fenton Dassidario, electronic genius. And then there's their The Birdman. "What Vincent LoPriore wants, Vincent LoPriore gets," he said to Hugh Curtis. In this marvelous sequel to The Music Box Murders, Thomas sets out to give LoPriore a lot more than he wants!

Genres: Mystery

Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

Larry Karp practiced perinatal medicine and wrote general nonfiction before turning his back on medical work to write mystery novels full-time. The backgrounds and settings of Larry's mysteries reflect many of his interests, including musical antiques, medical-ethical issues, and ragtime music. His current book, The King of Ragtime, the second work in a ragtime mystery trilogy, centers on a real-life dispute between Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin over the alleged theft of a piece of music."

Reviews

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

SCAMMING THE BIRDMAN (Amateur Sleuth-New York-Cont) – VG
Karp, Larry – 2nd in series
Write Way Publishing, 2000- Hardcover
Dr. Thomas Purdue collects antique music boxes. A fellow collector asks him to look at his wife, found paralyzed in the park. The wife dies and Thomas learns she had helped an unethical collector, Vincent LoPriore, steal the husband's collection of musical snuffboxes. Thomas gathers the troops and orchestrates the ultimate scam against LoPriore.
*** Karp has put together a wonderful cast of characters, devised an elaborate plot and allowed us to go along for the ride. The information on music boxes is fascinating and doesn't slow down the story. My criticisms are small; for a wealthy doctor he never seems to practice, and I'm a little tired of couples who love each other but can't live together. On the positive side, it's fun and suspenseful with a great twist at the end. I'll definitely go along with Purdue and pals on their next adventure.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Thomas Purdue Mysteries is even better than the first one! Thomas' friend Hugh has been robbed of his entire collection of musical snuff boxes and the robbery was committed with the assistance of his wife who then apparently died at the hands of the thief.

Thomas wants to help his friend but he also wants to get back at Vincent LaPriore, a collector who has used questionable methods for years in acquiring his collection of music boxes, all with a bird theme. Thus his nickname, the Birdman.

How Thomas and his group of fellow collections and some slightly shady individuals go about performing a scam to stop The Birdman and keep everyone safe is a fascinating look at the world of high cost collecting, low rent scamming and a truly complicated plan that is worthy of the moniker of Machiavelli!

Loving this series, will be reading more.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complicated characters and a convoluted plot but I enjoyed the inside information on the world of music box collectors. It's the kind of book that makes me think about who I would want to see cast in the movie.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the mystery, writing, characters and plot, though I was rushed to get through this one. Who knew there was such a world around miniatures and collectible music boxes!