What do you think?
Rate this book
Steve Allen Mystery #4
Murder in Manhattan
Book by Allen, S.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1990
1 person is currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Steve Allen
98 books45 followersStephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best-known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. He graduated to become the first host of The Tonight Show, where he was instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. Thereafter, he hosted numerous game and variety shows, including The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, The New Steve Allen Show, and was a regular panel member on CBS' What's My Line?
Allen was a "creditable" pianist, and a prolific composer, having penned over 14,000 songs, one of which was recorded by Perry Como and Margaret Whiting, others by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won a Grammy award in 1963 for best jazz composition, with his song The Gravy Waltz. Allen wrote more than 50 books and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Allen was a "creditable" pianist, and a prolific composer, having penned over 14,000 songs, one of which was recorded by Perry Como and Margaret Whiting, others by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won a Grammy award in 1963 for best jazz composition, with his song The Gravy Waltz. Allen wrote more than 50 books and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2024
1 bonus star for Jayne finally appearing, but the author does forget she has a brain by the end. This is not good, really. Two books in a row we have Steve's old friends getting into awkward sexual misconduct, and two books in a row we have to sit through 100+ pages of local constabulary thinking Steve may be guilty. What's the point of that? We the readers know he is innocent; it brings no dramatic tension to the enjoyment of reading; it brings no sense of realism or authenticity. It's just bad writing, again.
This book is probably worse than the previous one, since the author spends a lot of time making Steve out to be a despicable person. I'm not saying I think Steve Allen was a saint, but in this imaginary world, why spend so much time showing foibles of our "hero"? Does the premise of Social Security-aged Steve Allen solving crimes trained cops can't solve lend itself to realism? Why have Steve contemplate cheating on his wife, murdering his coworkers, and insulting law officers (and swearing like a proverbial sailor)? What audience is going to enjoy that characterization? At one point, after a young character admits having a deeply embarrassing secret that has resulted in blackmail, Steve and Jayne amuse themselves by guessing what it might be, as if that is acceptable behavior or funny.
Like the previous book, 100 pages could be easily trimmed, but this time those pages are toward the beginning. It takes so long for the real story to begin, and by the time the mystery begins, we've lost all interest in these insubstantial, late '80s stereotypical characters. They're all here like a lesser episode of Murder, She Wrote: Has-been Overweight Starlet on the Prowl, Italian Starlet on the Prowl, Mr. Big Business, Drug Dealer Kid, Mousy Accountant with Dreams, Mousy Background Friendzone Girl actually in a Love Affair for the "Right Reasons" (think Jennifer Tilly as Velma), Earth Day/Whales/War/Ozone Protest Girl, Sweet Kid with a Secret and Abused by Hollywood Guy, AIDS from Blood Transfusion Buddy, Cops in Love but Won't Admit It, and Look at Me Everyone Hates Me and I'll Be the Victim...Victim. Okay, almost everybody - no wisecracking "ethnic" sidekick, but Steve doesn't need one, being so old and married and smarter than everyone including trained law officers.
Toward the end there's a twist of which even Chubby Checker would say "let's not twist like that again," and another 11th hour "Steve's in trouble and will die before he solves the - no, he's okay" bit that is just a waste of time. And while Steve is wrapping it up, he announces everyone's embarrassing secrets in front of everyone for no reason at all, with which everyone seems fine. I don't want to spoil it, but the ending will make you go, "who? and what? and so what?" I don't think you'll like this.
This book is probably worse than the previous one, since the author spends a lot of time making Steve out to be a despicable person. I'm not saying I think Steve Allen was a saint, but in this imaginary world, why spend so much time showing foibles of our "hero"? Does the premise of Social Security-aged Steve Allen solving crimes trained cops can't solve lend itself to realism? Why have Steve contemplate cheating on his wife, murdering his coworkers, and insulting law officers (and swearing like a proverbial sailor)? What audience is going to enjoy that characterization? At one point, after a young character admits having a deeply embarrassing secret that has resulted in blackmail, Steve and Jayne amuse themselves by guessing what it might be, as if that is acceptable behavior or funny.
Like the previous book, 100 pages could be easily trimmed, but this time those pages are toward the beginning. It takes so long for the real story to begin, and by the time the mystery begins, we've lost all interest in these insubstantial, late '80s stereotypical characters. They're all here like a lesser episode of Murder, She Wrote: Has-been Overweight Starlet on the Prowl, Italian Starlet on the Prowl, Mr. Big Business, Drug Dealer Kid, Mousy Accountant with Dreams, Mousy Background Friendzone Girl actually in a Love Affair for the "Right Reasons" (think Jennifer Tilly as Velma), Earth Day/Whales/War/Ozone Protest Girl, Sweet Kid with a Secret and Abused by Hollywood Guy, AIDS from Blood Transfusion Buddy, Cops in Love but Won't Admit It, and Look at Me Everyone Hates Me and I'll Be the Victim...Victim. Okay, almost everybody - no wisecracking "ethnic" sidekick, but Steve doesn't need one, being so old and married and smarter than everyone including trained law officers.
Toward the end there's a twist of which even Chubby Checker would say "let's not twist like that again," and another 11th hour "Steve's in trouble and will die before he solves the - no, he's okay" bit that is just a waste of time. And while Steve is wrapping it up, he announces everyone's embarrassing secrets in front of everyone for no reason at all, with which everyone seems fine. I don't want to spoil it, but the ending will make you go, "who? and what? and so what?" I don't think you'll like this.
August 12, 2017
Really enjoyable cozy mystery written by Steve Allen about Steve Allen solving a murder. I knew Allen was a veritable Renaissance man, but had no idea he wrote novels and I'll be looking for others by him. it was an enjoyable, fun, and humorous read.
May 25, 2020
A fun adventure on a movie set filming in NYC. Lots of local color and interesting characters. Steve Martin was quite a multitalented man. His wife Jayne is always delightful in his mysteries.
September 26, 2019
An easy, pleasant read. The ending and solution to the murder are a bit convoluted. Lots of puns and references to things of the time that make you smile.
September 1, 2013
A very easy read - not exactly a cozy mystery, but interesting in the fact that Allen makes himself the detective. First time I believe that I have read a murder mystery in the first person - even Rex Stout has a mouthpiece in Archie Goodwin. I did enjoy reading it, but I'm not sure that I will read more Allen mysteries - maybe one or two to see if they are of the same quality. I do like the intelligence that Allen puts into his books, but I am not sure that I like the format of himself being the detective as well.
August 5, 2016
This is really a lousy whodunit. Figured it out halfway through. Dialogue is crummy. Supposed to be humorous but didn't see much. Ploy used at end-getting all suspects together in one place- is obviously stolen from the Thin Man series. Won't waste my time reading his other stuff.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews