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Toby Peters #12
Smart Moves
Toby Peters, a L.A. private detective, is determined to save Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson from a Nazi assassin
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
40 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Stuart M. Kaminsky
161 books215 followersStuart 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 9, 2023
Maybe it’s the New York setting (Peters is at his best in LA), or maybe it’s because it’s too easy to guess whodunnit, but this is only a passable entry in the series.
November 1, 2019
Early 40s America. Gumshoe Toby Peters is hanging out a window, holding onto his "partner", the unsanitary dentist, Shelly Minck, and waiting for the bullet that ends it all. Then he tells us how we got here.
A plot to murder Einstein, involving Nazi assassins, FBI Agents called out of retirement by the war effort and who want to do as little work as possible, romantic entanglements, an impromptu appearance on the stage in Othello, opposite Paul Robeson, a small naval battle (kind of), and a lot of bumps, bruises, and new bullet holes, for Toby. This is one of the few Peters mysteries that take place outside California. This time, it's mostly in Manhattan, though with some action in Princeton.
Another in a string of fun adventures in the career of Peters.
A plot to murder Einstein, involving Nazi assassins, FBI Agents called out of retirement by the war effort and who want to do as little work as possible, romantic entanglements, an impromptu appearance on the stage in Othello, opposite Paul Robeson, a small naval battle (kind of), and a lot of bumps, bruises, and new bullet holes, for Toby. This is one of the few Peters mysteries that take place outside California. This time, it's mostly in Manhattan, though with some action in Princeton.
Another in a string of fun adventures in the career of Peters.
January 7, 2015
Another enjoyable yarn by Suart Kaminsky. I enjoy his writing and found this to be another good one in the Toby Peters series. Some of his others have been better, but this was plenty funny and had Kaminsky's typical banter between his protagonist and an interesting array of characters, including Dr. Einstein. I will keep reading Kaminsky with pleasure.
June 1, 2021
3.5 Stars for Smart Moves: A Toby Peters Mystery
~ by Stuart Kaminsky ~
My 4th Toby Peters, Private Investigator Mystery, this was another fun, quick, (210 short pages) read.
The celebrity 'guest stars' of the story are Albert Einstein, and, Paul Robeson, one of the early Black international stage, film, and singing stars in the first half of the 20th century.
This time around, Shelly, the dentist, Toby's friend/acquaintance/office mate is along for the ride during this WWII era mystery. And the story takes Toby away from his home turf in L.A., and sends him off to New York at the request of Einstein, because of a threat on the great scientists life.
Another fun, light weight little book, and change of pace from my other reading.
~ by Stuart Kaminsky ~
My 4th Toby Peters, Private Investigator Mystery, this was another fun, quick, (210 short pages) read.
The celebrity 'guest stars' of the story are Albert Einstein, and, Paul Robeson, one of the early Black international stage, film, and singing stars in the first half of the 20th century.
This time around, Shelly, the dentist, Toby's friend/acquaintance/office mate is along for the ride during this WWII era mystery. And the story takes Toby away from his home turf in L.A., and sends him off to New York at the request of Einstein, because of a threat on the great scientists life.
Another fun, light weight little book, and change of pace from my other reading.
July 30, 2020
To me Kaminsky is in the class of mystery writers including Robert Parker, Lawrence Block, and Sue Grafton. I have enjoyed his Lieberman and Fonesca and Porfirovic stories and have decided to go back and read his Toby Peters stories.
October 16, 2020
Absolutely delightful, it's 1942 and our dogged investigator is in New York this time, trying to protect his client or clients, Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson from suspected Nazis. Shootings, stabbings, the help, he could use their help.
November 26, 2021
Toby gets hired by Einstein to protect his name from those who are trying to label him a Nazi. Both Einstein and Paul Robeson are at risk. Toby is joined by his dentist landlord, Shelly Mink, who as usual is not much help.
April 14, 2019
Not one of my favorites in a cherished series but it gets more and more precious as I read the last few ever written. Chicken soup for my soul.
July 1, 2020
A fun Toby Peters adventure with a solid mystery.
March 17, 2021
I'm a Toby Peters fan ... this is one of the best of the series, in my opinion. This time, Toby is helping Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson in and near New York – a major change of scenery.
September 22, 2022
Audiobook performed by Steven Bolding?
September 8, 2023
Mr. Peters vai a Nova Iorque aceitar um caso com o prof. Einstein, seguem-se os eventos do costume, alguns morrem, o nosso herói é ferido e passa pelo hospital.
January 10, 2024
Toby Peters #12. It's WW II and Toby's in New York working to keep Albert Einstein safe with the help of Paul Robeson and his dentist friend Sheldon. I like this series a lot, 4 stars.
January 3, 2026
Entertaining and funny.
May 25, 2016
A solid return to form after the prior anomaly - or rather, a bit of departure from form here as well, with the locale temporarily shifting coasts, (somewhat) less participation of the regular crew, and very welcome clients in Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson.
And now I'm really wondering if "The Einstein Prophecy" consciously ripped this relatively unknown work off, or if the Einstein/Princeton/lake plot is simply well-trod territory.
And now I'm really wondering if "The Einstein Prophecy" consciously ripped this relatively unknown work off, or if the Einstein/Princeton/lake plot is simply well-trod territory.
July 26, 2017
another fun Elvis Cole mystery.
August 16, 2009
Very Good; Continuing character: Toby Peters; Toby travels to New York, to assist Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson evade the murderous intents of Nazi agents
June 14, 2010
Toby Peters w/ Albert Einstein and Paul Robeson
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews