Who's Next

by George Baxt

Jethro Clay is devastated by the death of his beautiful, ballerina daughter Vanessa when tycoon Medwin Patton deliberately runs her down in his car. Maddened by Patton's hangers-on, who testify that it was an accident, Clay goes on a murderous rampage. Aided by Patton's estranged wife Lilith, he devises a series of "clever" murders (e.g., a choreographer loses his legs) that will eradicate the toadies. Under the very noses of two clever NYPD detectives, the killings culminate in an almost-clean getaway for lovers Clay and Lilith, with a twist ending in Africa.

Genres: Mystery, Humor

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

George Baxt, the US playwright, scriptwriter and novelist, in New York City, USA.

He began his career as a radio announcer, an actors' agent, and television scriptwriter. He claimed that as an actors' agent he threw James Dean out of his office because he needed a bath. George Baxt's career developed into scriptwriting cult horror films. He made a contribution to The Abominable Dr Phibes, although it was uncredited. His first novel A Queer Kind of Death, (1966), introduced the detective Pharoah Love who was the first in the genre to be both black and openly gay. The novel was very well received and marked the start of a new career in writing. Two further Pharoah Love novels soon appeared and were widely regarded as superior to the first. Nearly three decades passed before the final outings of Pharoah Love in two novels.

Meanwhile George Baxt introduced the detective duo Sylvia Plotkin and Max van Larsen, but these were soon abandoned and several non-series novels were produced. Starting with The Dorothy Parker Murder Case, George Baxt then began to use his knowledge of Hollywood life by using celebrities as characters in a series of detective novels.

He died following complications after heart surgery.

Interesting obituary here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obi...

Reviews

[Ron Kerrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a mystery (the reader knows who is behind the deaths), more an exercise in pushing the envelope (even for 1988). Baxt's dialogue is sometimes crude, often peppered with sexual innuendo, and frequently funny (describing the event where the tragedy occurs he says: "It was one of those parties where all the women hoping to look like Diane Keaton looked like Buster Keaton.") It runs at a fast clip, especially once the murders start, and if you enjoy Baxt's irreverent style of writing, it'll satisfy. Others, beware.

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dr Phibes did it with much more originality and wittiness.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this is suppose to be a farce; it is definitely over the top, has some humor and a bit weird. It is definitely irreverent. I just don't think it quite pulled it off.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little madcap mystery.