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Stewart Hoag #17
The Man Who Led a Dream Life
Stewart Hoag and his new bride dive into married life with the discovery of a murdered millionaire in this mystery from early in the crime-solving career of the author-sleuth.
January 1983: Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag is getting married to the love of his life Merilee at New York City Hall. Hoagy’s college chum, Ezra Spooner, stands up for him. Merilee’s lovely cousin, Phoebe, stands up for her. And their young basset hound Lulu stands up for both of them. After they say “I do” and pop open the Dom Perignon, Phoebe somberly announces that she and her husband, the legendary adventurer and old money multi-millionaire Junior Singleton, are now officially divorced.
Junior leads what most men would consider a dream life. He has climbed Mount Everest twice, captained his yacht to an America’s Cup victory, raced Formula One Ferraris in Europe, surfed the most dangerous Maui waves, and slept with as many women as he chose to despite being married to sweet and gentle Phoebe, who works as a music teacher and plays violin in a chamber music quartet. The pair could not be more different, and most of their friends predicted the marriage wouldn’t last. They were right. Phoebe is done putting up with Junior’s constant absence and compulsive philandering. She’s not even asking for much of his fortune in the divorce—just $1 million and their gorgeous townhouse in the East Sixties, which she intends to sell. In fact, she’d love to sell it to Hoagy and Merilee.
The newlyweds agree to tour the home and find that it’s almost exactly what they’re looking There’s a fabulous gourmet kitchen, a paneled office where Hoagy can write, a garden where Lulu can romp, a luxurious master suite with his and hers dressing rooms. The only drawback—and it’s a mighty big one—is that they find Junior dead on the floor of his dressing room with a rosewood handled Claude Dozorme steak knife plunged into his left eyeball.
Who would want to kill Junior Singleton? Plenty of people, as it turns out. Junior’s autopsy reveals that he was HIV-positive, which means any of the women with whom he had unprotected sex have been exposed to the deadly AIDs virus—including the hot-shot realtor Siena Bing who was supposed to be helping them sell the house. And that’s just the start of the suspect list. As the NYPD’s top Homicide Lieutenant, Meyer Golden, pursues the case he finds it unfolding in several different directions, and Hoagy, who possesses not only amazing insights into the criminal mind but also a gifted short-legged partner, gets drawn deeper and deeper into the fascinating and utterly bizarre world of New York City’s elite.
January 1983: Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag is getting married to the love of his life Merilee at New York City Hall. Hoagy’s college chum, Ezra Spooner, stands up for him. Merilee’s lovely cousin, Phoebe, stands up for her. And their young basset hound Lulu stands up for both of them. After they say “I do” and pop open the Dom Perignon, Phoebe somberly announces that she and her husband, the legendary adventurer and old money multi-millionaire Junior Singleton, are now officially divorced.
Junior leads what most men would consider a dream life. He has climbed Mount Everest twice, captained his yacht to an America’s Cup victory, raced Formula One Ferraris in Europe, surfed the most dangerous Maui waves, and slept with as many women as he chose to despite being married to sweet and gentle Phoebe, who works as a music teacher and plays violin in a chamber music quartet. The pair could not be more different, and most of their friends predicted the marriage wouldn’t last. They were right. Phoebe is done putting up with Junior’s constant absence and compulsive philandering. She’s not even asking for much of his fortune in the divorce—just $1 million and their gorgeous townhouse in the East Sixties, which she intends to sell. In fact, she’d love to sell it to Hoagy and Merilee.
The newlyweds agree to tour the home and find that it’s almost exactly what they’re looking There’s a fabulous gourmet kitchen, a paneled office where Hoagy can write, a garden where Lulu can romp, a luxurious master suite with his and hers dressing rooms. The only drawback—and it’s a mighty big one—is that they find Junior dead on the floor of his dressing room with a rosewood handled Claude Dozorme steak knife plunged into his left eyeball.
Who would want to kill Junior Singleton? Plenty of people, as it turns out. Junior’s autopsy reveals that he was HIV-positive, which means any of the women with whom he had unprotected sex have been exposed to the deadly AIDs virus—including the hot-shot realtor Siena Bing who was supposed to be helping them sell the house. And that’s just the start of the suspect list. As the NYPD’s top Homicide Lieutenant, Meyer Golden, pursues the case he finds it unfolding in several different directions, and Hoagy, who possesses not only amazing insights into the criminal mind but also a gifted short-legged partner, gets drawn deeper and deeper into the fascinating and utterly bizarre world of New York City’s elite.
336 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2026
About the author
David Handler
56 books265 followersAKA Russell Andrews (with Peter Gethers)
David Handler, who began his career in New York as a journalist, was born and raised in Los Angeles and published two highly acclaimed novels about growing up there, Kiddo and Boss, before resorting to a life of crime fiction.
David Handler, who began his career in New York as a journalist, was born and raised in Los Angeles and published two highly acclaimed novels about growing up there, Kiddo and Boss, before resorting to a life of crime fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 4, 2026
The Man Who Led a Dream Life is a prequel? Throw back? to the other sixteen (gasp!)- books in the Stewart Hoag Mysteries series and it’s a winner.
The story takes place in January 1983 when Hoagy, a successful writer, is about to marry Merilee, a talented and beautiful actress and the love of his life. The couple will spend their honeymoon in Vermont but their plans are derailed when Merilee’s cousin’s ex-husband is discovered murdered and in a rather gruesome way, too.
Hoagy begins to work with the detective in charge of the investigation, with the hope the murder can be quickly resolved and the honeymoon can begin. In other words, the game’s afoot and the reader is introduced to a host of characters, a confounding mystery, and the lifestyles of the rich and famous. What fun! The dialogue is well-done, the humor light, the plot tight, and the interactions of the characters keeps everything interesting. Of course, one of the best characters is Lulu, Hoagy and Merilee’s Bassett Hound puppy. She’s a star in her own right.
I’ve enjoyed other books in this series, but I do believe The Man Who Led a Dream Life is my favorite. Thank you, Mr Handler! NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.
The story takes place in January 1983 when Hoagy, a successful writer, is about to marry Merilee, a talented and beautiful actress and the love of his life. The couple will spend their honeymoon in Vermont but their plans are derailed when Merilee’s cousin’s ex-husband is discovered murdered and in a rather gruesome way, too.
Hoagy begins to work with the detective in charge of the investigation, with the hope the murder can be quickly resolved and the honeymoon can begin. In other words, the game’s afoot and the reader is introduced to a host of characters, a confounding mystery, and the lifestyles of the rich and famous. What fun! The dialogue is well-done, the humor light, the plot tight, and the interactions of the characters keeps everything interesting. Of course, one of the best characters is Lulu, Hoagy and Merilee’s Bassett Hound puppy. She’s a star in her own right.
I’ve enjoyed other books in this series, but I do believe The Man Who Led a Dream Life is my favorite. Thank you, Mr Handler! NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.
August 8, 2026
An adorable story of two related murders set in the early 80's Manhattan. Similar to Bonfires of the Vanities in tone and entitlement, two Manhattan "stars" fall in love and get married in a civil ceremony. Stewart Hogaland, Hoagy as he is known to his friends, is the new literary voice of the 80's, and Merilee, a blond bombshell movie actress (think Julie Roberts) are on their way to a Vermont honeymoon (don't ask) when they stop at Merilee's cousin Phoebe's townhouse on the upper eastside to check it out as it will be sold in days die to its spectacularness. Unfortunately a surprise awaits them in the third floor cloths closet, Phoebe's ex-husband is dead with a high end steak knife in his eye. Oh well. Hijinks and another similar murder as well. Plenty of twists and turns with the star od the show being Lulu, a very incitefull basset hound who is a a major crime solving force. Enjoy.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This book goes back in time to when Hoagy and Merilee are married and getting ready to head off on their honeymoon.They agree to go see Merilee’s cousins home to see if they might want to buy it since she has recently got divorced. Unfortunately while checking the home out they discovered the ex dead in a closet. They delay the honeymoon so that Hoagy can help the local police solve the crime.
June 14, 2026
Excellent read I totally enjoyed reading this latest addition to the Hoagy and Lulu series. In my honest opinion I feel this is the best story to date. I was fascinated with all the characters and trying to figure it out. Now I have to wait for the next story. But I loved this book very well written and it kept my interest til the very end.
August 25, 2026
This wasn’t good.
I was excited to read the later additions to his original series, but I should have stopped after the originals. There was one decent book in the later ones. That’s it.
And these last two were just a mess.
I was excited to read the later additions to his original series, but I should have stopped after the originals. There was one decent book in the later ones. That’s it.
And these last two were just a mess.
September 6, 2026
Set in New York in 1983, Stewart Hoag gets involved in the investigation of a man whom some consider a “gentleman-adventurer.” The book could be more accurately titled “The Man Who Led a Sordid Life.”
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews