The Little Dog Laughed

Dave Brandstetter #8

by Joseph Hansen, Keith Szarabajka (Narrator)

While investigating a suicide, Dave Brandstetter discovers a dead reporter’s final scoop.

Adam Streeter has covered international crises from Siberia to Cambodia. When disaster strikes, he grabs his battered typewriter and hops on a plane, hurling himself into danger wherever the story demands. He is brave, talented, and internationally renowned—so why would he turn a pistol on himself?

Insurance investigator Dave Brandstetter has seen enough suicides to know that a journalist this successful would never take his own life. Suspecting treachery, he digs into Adam’s last story—an unpublished investigation into the whereabouts of a vanished South American strongman, called El Carnicero, the Butcher—and Adam’s death shows every hallmark of his bloody style. To finish Adam’s investigation, Dave will have to make like a war correspondent and leap into the line of fire.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, M M Romance, LGBT, Gay, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

6 pages, Audiobook

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Joseph Hansen (1923–2004) was an American author of mysteries. The son of a South Dakota shoemaker, he moved to a California citrus farm with his family in 1936. He began publishing poetry in the New Yorker in the 1950s, and joined the editorial teams of gay magazines ONE and Tangents in the 1960s. Using the pseudonyms Rose Brock and James Colton, Hansen published five novels and a collection of short stories before the appearance of Fadeout (1970), the first novel published under his own name.

The book introduced street-smart insurance investigator Dave Brandstetter, a complex, openly gay hero who grew and changed over the series’s twelve novels. By the time Hansen concluded the series with A Country of Old Men (1990), Brandstetter was older, melancholy, and ready for retirement. The 1992 recipient of the Private Eye Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Hansen published several more novels before his death in 2004.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent mystery featuring gay LA insurance investigator David Brandstetter. This one, written in the mid-'80's, is about a country called "Los Innocentes" that sounds a lot like El Salvador and a Colonel Zorn that sounds a little like Oliver North.

[James Thane · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Adam Streeter, a famous foreign correspondent, is found shot to death in his study, it appears to be an open and shut case. The cops rule it a suicide and Streeter's blind seventeen-year-old daughter, Chrissie, who was in the house at the time, reluctantly agrees.

The Banner Insurance Company, which had insured Streeter's life, sends ace death-claims investigator Dave Brandstetter to check into the case, although why they do so is not exactly clear. If Streeter's death stands as a suicide, Banner will not have to pay the death claim, so one would think that they would not want to risk rocking the boat. But, of course, if Banner didn't send Dave to check things out, there wouldn't be any book.

Brandstetter is charmed by the daughter, Chrissie, who does not want to believe that her father killed himself, even though he apparently did. But within minutes of arriving on the scene, Dave begins to see problems with the police theory: There are a couple of broken flower pots that would suggest that an intruder was on the scene; the neighbors closest to the Streeter condo and who had an excellent view of the study in which Streeter died, have suddenly and uncharacteristically decided to take a vacation. Most important, all of the notes and other materials related to Adam Streeter's current project seem to be missing.

Streeter was investigating the turbulent situation in Los Inocentes, a Central American country where rebels are challenging the government. The rebels claim that the government is using death squads to target its opponents; the government claims that the rebels are communists, and the U.S. government is covertly attempting to support the government. (This book was published in 1986 at a time when there was a great deal of controversy about the Regan administration's efforts to combat alleged communist elements in Central America, especially in Nicaragua.)

Dave demonstrates early on that Streeter was actually murdered and the cops arrest a suspect. Banner Insurance declares the case closed since it's now clear that they will have to pay up. But Dave won't give it up; he thinks the cops are still on the wrong track. This angers Dave's lover, Cecil, who is upset becase Dave insists on putting himself in grave danger, rather than walking away from the case.

"Cecil reached for Dave, but Dave stepped back. 'Dave, why are you doing this? You're not getting paid. Lovejoy called you off the case. You want the truth? You're compulsive. You can't leave it alone. You're like Adam Streeter, you know that? You live for danger.'

'I live for justice," Dave said.'"

This exchange summarizes the approach that will guide Dave Brandstetter through all of the books that constitute this series. Like all of the others, this one is very well-written, with sharply defined characters and a carefully drawn setting. The plot in this one is a bit far-fetched and the climax requires a huge suspension of disbelief, which is why I'm giving the book three stars instead of four. But still, it's a very good read. and those readers who have enjoyed other books in the Brandstetter series will certainly want to find this one.

[Rosa, really · Rating 4 out of 5]

And the dish ran away with the spoon...



All I have to say is that the dish better come back or Rosa's really going to choke a fucker.

Thanks for the BR, Sofia! xxxoooxxxooo

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent the whole book looking for the little dog that laughed. My friend Rosa remembered the English nursery rhyme:

where all kind of shenanigans take place, with the cow, the dish and the spoon. Clever of Hansen, he could have used that rhyme as a blurb for this story. He filled this story with all kinds of movie action sequences, red herrings and theories and yes, political comments, where the adage ‘the more things change, the more they remain the same’, certainly fits. But finally I did find the ‘little dog that laughed’ Rafael the little chucho was vindicated and I do hoped that he laughed

Together with the ‘Oh no, Dave no’ moments, the end as usual left me wanting more.

Great read with my Hansen buddy Rosa.

Heads up: my copy of the book ends at 86% - the rest are previews.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though some of the events in this book Dave gets involved in seem to stretch the believability factor just a little, as he gets tangled in political/military issues that are much bigger than anything he's previously had to face, I still find these books very satisfying and just a pleasure to read. Equally satisfying is the balance between Hansen's dry humour against some very serious and painful issues a book like this tries to tackle, also within the context of the US's political agenda in Latin America in the 80's.

Dave's relationship with Cecil, their mutual understanding, trust and camaraderie get stronger and stronger, and I wish we'd get some more glimpses of private moments between them.

But the heart of these books and the reason I keep coming back to them is Dave's integrity, his respectability, his right moral compass, his human compassion, the perfect balance between awareness of his own limits (especially as he's getting older and less physically resistant) and his ongoing relentlessness in pursuing justice.

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can relate to the events more than usual because I was very much involved with the support to the Central American revolutionaries movements end of the '70 and then in the '80.

The counter-revolutionaries groups were financed by the US government officially or unofficially (after the Congress vetoed this support, Reagan provided it illegally, see Iran-Contra Affair... ) and helped by the CIA. They did commit all sorts of human rights violations, because this was part of their strategy. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contras
Of course also the other side wasn't exactly non violent, but violence against the civilians was never a strategy for them.

Although Hansen is not referring to specific facts, some references are real: for ex. the harbors in Nicaragua were mined by the CIA in 1984 (The Complete Brandstetter, page 746, Chapter 13). A very detailed story in the LATime. Nicaragua brought the case to the International Court of Justice which ruled against the US.

I thought that non political people or people who at the time were not yet born or very young might miss the references. Or someone might consider Hansen as extraordinarily imaginative in thinking that the US would mine the harbors of another free nation...

Another real fact: the assassinated archbishop mentioned (The Complete Brandstetter, page 767, Chapter 17, a bit more than one page from the beginning) is Oscar Romero, the Catholic archbishop of San Salvador.

He had an interesting story: being a conservative, when he was elected Archbishop all the priests connected to the liberation theology were upset and thought they couldn't expect help from him against social injustice and violations of human rights.

But on one side he experienced the suffering of the poor, on the other side he saw one of his close friends murdered, and this made Romero change his perspective.

He spoke out for the poor and against the violations of human rights. As a result he was shot dead in 1980 as he was celebrating mass. No one was ever prosecuted for the assassination. An ex US Ambassador spoke to the Congress of "sufficient evidence" to convict of the murder the infamous Roberto D'Aubuisson, who had created and commanded death squads responsible of hundreds of killings of civilians. But he was never prosecuted.

For the book itself you might read a good review by Paola. I agree with all she said ;-).

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is way out there, with private armies and Central American revolutionaries, but it works surprisingly well—probably because Hansen keeps the focus on people, so that the CIA-connected bigwig and the grandmotherly security guard—and everyone else in between—are clearly drawn and memorable.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Brandsetter novel was a little more out there than previous ones. Less of a regular murder mystery (although it was also that) and more international conspiracy. Probably my least favourite of them all so far, but still a solid 4 stars.

[Elvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was great but a little all over the place. Probably would have made more sense in the time it was written, when people were more familiar with Cold War ops and the US’s movement against communism. It makes sense with just a history class knowledge, but some of the Nuance gets lost I think. But it’s still great and was one of the best ones to read. The ending is a bit more open than even the rest of them, but you get a bit of closure in one of the later books which kind of levels it out.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another interesting mystery although the Latin political element and rouge US Colonel were a bit of a stretch. Still Hansen can write a terse image filled story. I love Cecil and hope there is more of him and Dave in the rest of the series especially because of Cecil's actions at the end of the book. I want Dave to have true love and Cecil is so good for him. I refuse to peek and am reading them in order.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bad guys here are a bit more powerful than Dave is used to dealing with, and a few plot bits felt far-fetched, but it's an exciting ride. Cecil's warmth and passionate nature make him a good foil for Dave's unemotional, risk-anything-for-solutions style, and I was glad to see him in Dave's life. The series runs to dangling threads of Dave's personal life in the endings. And so we get sucked along... but at least the whole lot are released.

[Klaus Mattes · Rating 3 out of 5]

West Hollywood und Venice, Los Angeles, Bergland in Süd-Kalifornien, Mitte der 1980-er Jahre; Genre: Detektivkrimi. Zum Titel: Bei Joseph Hansen hieß der Roman „The Little Dog Laughed“. Dieses leitet sich von einem, in den USA jedem Kind geläufigen Reim her: „The cow jumped over the moon. The little dog laughed to see such sport. And the dish ran away with the spoon.“ Die Erstversion der deutschen Übersetzung von Friedrich A. Hofschuster ist 1988 als Goldmann Taschenbuch erschienen und hieß: „Tote Hunde bellen nicht“. Tatsächlich tauchen, an drei Stellen des Buchs Hunde auf, spielen jedoch keine Rolle und sterben auch nicht. Hansen dachte - für den Krimileser in den USA erst einmal auch nicht durchsichtig - an das spanische Wort „cholos“, was sowohl Hunde wie arme mexikanische und mittelamerikanische Arbeiter sein könnten. Das Buch könnte folglich „Malochers Lachen“ heißen.

Wir sind bei der achten Folge der Mordfälle für den ziemlich alten L.A.-Detektiv Dave Brandstetter angelangt, der mit seinem jungen schwarzen Freund in einem formidablen Haus in Laurel Canyon lebt. (Generell sind allerdings die ersten 6 Dave-Brandstetter-Krimis die besseren.) Dieses Mal hat sich Hansen ein bisschen übernommen mit dem Versuch, gesellschaftlich relevant zu arbeiten. Die Mittelamerikapolitik der Reagan-Jahre lässt ihn über eine rechtsradikale Geheimarmee fabulieren. Gegen diese schickt er (mit einem seiner öfters etwas übertriebenen Buchschlüsse) den Anfangssechziger Brandstetter in die Berge, in etwa wie James Bond, der viele Feinde mit einer Pistole erledigt.

Schon früh im Buch sieht man etwas wie die Iran-Contra-Affäre, auch „Irangate“ genannt, auf Dave zukommen. Und denkt sich: Wie soll er damit nur umgehen? Wenn Washington, Geheimdienste, Militärs undemokratische Regime in der Dritten Welt heimlich decken, lassen sie sich von einem einzelnen Schwulen in Kalifornien doch nicht mehr stoppen! (Außerdem ist diese Geschichte ja nicht schwul, was sie bei Hansen nebenbei immer werden sollte, auch wenn die meisten Buchkäufer heterosexuell, bzw. Frauen waren.) Nicaragua heißt das Bürgerkriegsland bei Joseph Hansen allerdings nicht, er hat es „Los Inocentes“ (die Unschuldigen) getauft. Von dort kommt der „kleine Hund“.

Anfangen tut's mit einem toten Amerikaner, dem Skandaljournalisten Adam Streeter, dessen Leiche eine Knarre mit Schalldämpfer in der Hand hält. Der Versicherung, für die Dave, der nach dem Tod seines Vaters ein Vermögen erben durfte, jetzt eher Hobby-mäßig arbeitet, wäre gut bedient, wenn Streeter sich selbst getötet hätte. Und gewisse Militärs auch. Der Verdacht der Polizei richtet sich gegen einen gewissen Underhill, der Streeter ein Flugzeug für Flüge nach Mittelamerika besorgen sollte, weil dort ein großer Skandal am Brodeln war, den Streeter als Scoop hätte bringen können.

Hier eine Vorwarnung, falls Sie das lesen, bevor Sie das Buch zu Ende haben: Am Anfang von Brandstetter-Fällen sieht alles immer höchst verwickelt aus, die Probleme von recht verschiedenen Figuren verknäueln sich. Dann bitte nicht zu sehr sich von der Frage „Wer war's denn nun?“ leiten lassen und etwa schon mal versuchen wollen, Relevantes von Füllselinformationen zu trennen! Im Allgemeinen erweist sich bei Hansen-Krimis in der Rückschau nämlich, dass der versteckte Mord-Plot so wichtig und interessant nicht mal war und der Schatz des Buchs sich bei den vielen Nebenbei-Geschichten, „Naturaufnahmen“, Unterhaltungen mit Regulars der Serie (Cecil Harris, der Lover, Amanda, eine Stiefmutter, die viel jünger ist als Dave, Madge, die lesbische Innenarchitektin) und dem unverzichtbaren Abendessen beim Italiener befand. Sich hin und wieder ein paar Seiten genießerisch „langweilen“ lassen und sich ernsthaft vornehmen: „Du bist doch fast so alt wie Dave, kannst es also ruhiger angehen. Schau dich hier mal genauer um!“

Zur Einstimmung in die Handlung noch ein Katalog der Nebenrollen: Streeters 16-jährige Tochter Chrissie ist blind. Obwohl Streeter auf dem gleichen Stockwerk wie ihr Schlafzimmer erschossen wurde, hat sie nichts gehört. Dan'l („Ich heiße wirklich so“) ist Chrissies 17-jähriger Freund, ein überaktiver Junge, den niemand für voll nimmt. Mutter Brenda ist geschieden, Alkoholikerin, medikamentenabhängig. Durch den Tod Streeters bekommt sie das Sorgerecht für die Tochter zurück, was sie zur Füllung ihrer Kassen zu nutzen gedenkt. Underhill, Pilot und Flugzeugverkäufer, bewohnt das Hinterhaus zu einer vom seltsamen Ghetto-Heiligen Hunsinger betriebenen Suchttherapie-Einrichtung. Solche selbsternannten Weltverbesserer lässt Hansen gerne mal als Verdächtige aufmarschieren. In der Nähe von Streeters Haus gibt es einen früheren KZ-Häftling aus Deutschland, einen Alten, der abhaut, als Dave ihn besuchen will. Bei Streeters Beerdigung fällt die attraktive Fleur, eine Kambodschanerin, auf, der jemand ein Floristengeschäft finanziert hat und die mit Hunsinger unter einer Decke zu stecken scheint. Außerdem spielt ein ängstlicher Priester noch eine Rolle, Glendenning, welcher, hört Dave, ein Motiv zur Rache hätte, weil Streeter seinen Sohn, einen angehenden Journalisten, für eine gefährliche Recherche nach Los Inocentes geschickt hat, von der er nicht zurückkam. Ah ja – dann noch ausgebeutete Arbeiter und faschistische Offiziere, aber da habe ich wohl zu viel verraten.

[CarolineFromConcord · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wonderful Joseph Hansen series is best read in order of appearance. Having initially missed *The Little Dog Laughed,* I was mystified by protagonist Dave Brandstetter's domestic arrangements in the next novel, *Early Graves,* and I won't make that mistake again.

In *The Little Dog Laughed,* our intrepid insurance investigator is determined to know everything about the death of a prize-winning journalist who was working on a major scoop. He can't let go of the case even though the company that hired him has learned all it needs to know -- namely that the deceased didn't commit suicide and the insurance can be paid.

There's a subplot around the journalist's blind daughter who, on the death of her father, is now back in the custody of a venal, alcoholic mother, who plans to spend the insurance money on herself.

But the main plot involves uncovering the secretive doings in Central America that got the journalist killed in his California home. With the book set in the eighties, when shady branches of the US government were obsessed about the spread of communism, the mystery soon becomes a politically tinged adventure unlike Hansen's other novels. Scenes of rebels fighting different rebels in the middle of a murky war zone didn't really work for me. I did like the way the whole thing wrapped up, though.

What I love about these novels are the gay and straight characters rendered believably and the vivid, cinematic descriptions of not just settings but also the small, barely noticeable actions and gestures people make in their daily lives.

I do love fiction for the way it can make me feel I am there, a witness to desperate situations in another world. I wish Hansen had written more before he died.

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Warning, there will be mild spoilers*

I found myself in a similar boat with The Little Dog Laughed like with Death Claims as I mentioned in one of my status updates. Hansen spends more time building background detail again to the point where the mystery doesn't feel as gripping as it could. Also like Death Claims, the case builds more momentum after the first fourth of the book, but I found myself not as invested with it as I could have been. I liked the discussion on late Cold War attitudes and how they impacted Latine people and undocumented immigrants. However, this plot point lacked depth for me, and could have been expanded outside of the racist attitudes we see in some of the characters. The suspects also don't get as much page time, and once Dave finds something in Adam's "black book," the guilty party is pretty clear.

The ending was strong again, though. Hansen plays with a setup that has Dave questioning the situation he's in. I laughed every time he asked to go home. It was odd that it felt like Cortez-Ortiz was going to be redeemed after what we heard about him. That wasn't the case. The biggest surprise was how Duke Summers factored into the ending. Given how he was set up at points in the book, it was satisfying in a way that other parts of the case didn't scratch for me. This wasn't my favorite of the series, yet there was still enough here that kept me turning pages like the rest.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An apparent suicide, a young, blind daughter that won't believe his father would abandon her to her mother's greedy hands, and some serious problems with the police's theory (like the missing notes from the article the victim was investigating) has Dave investigating a case that will end being a little more turbulent than he would have imagined and brought a bit of trouble with Cecil when, after the case is closed by the police and the insurance company, Dave still refuses to stop investigating.

The plot in this one is a bit unlikely, to say the less. But not for the facts that portrait. I'm from South America, I've experienced first hand having the USA interfering with our politics and financing military coups against democratic governments that weren't of their liking and therefore breaking havoc in our countries. My problem is mostly with the action-movie ending that stretched my suspension of belief almost to the point of screaming :P

But still, I enjoyed it. And Cecil's news at the end? C'mon! Just when I was getting to really like him :/

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you ever wondered what would happen if Robert Ludlum ever wrote a Dave Brandstetter, well... here's your answer.

Iran-Contra was clearly heavy on Hansen's mind. Southern California's gay milieu is almost entirely absent. I am tempted to think that engaging with that world was just too painful as AIDS was brutalizing the community, but that's just a guess. Maybe I'm just trying to justify the weakest outing I've come across in a series I have so far treasured.

Besides the way Hansen previously captured facets of the gay experience, I have also admired how well he captured the sense of time and place in his books. He has left me feeling as though I visited California in the 70s. This was also noticeably missing in this outing and settings often felt pretty generic and thinly sketched.

I like Robert Ludlum, and I would have been happy enough to see any writer but Joseph Hansen write this book. The story is engaging. But it absolutely lacks the qualities I have so far found in this series.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in 1970, Hansen began his 12-book series featuring Dave Brandstetter; an independently wealthy, cultivated, fearless and gay insurance death-claims investigator. It is an excellent series, and in 2022, Soho Syndicate Books decided to republish the entire series. Set in Southern California, Hansen’s stylish writing (Raymond Chandler-esque) features niftily sketched characters. As for the honest, hard-nosed WWII vet, he is tough, witty, and honorable.

In this 8th offering, Brandstetter investigates the death of Adam Streeter, a prominent journalist. Suicide is at first suspected and then ruled out. The clues lead down a Byzantine path but appear to be related to Streeter being about to disclose the whereabouts of a missing Interior Minister of a Central American country, renowned for his savagery. Brandstetter defies advice to drop the case and persists in his hunt to find Streeter’s killer—it is a dangerous decision.

[Molli B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been a while since I read one of these!! Missed this dude. :) I still love Hansen's writing style, even several books into the series. He gives us exactly what we need and no more (aside from the occasional detailed description of clothing or a room).

Good mystery! Pretty timely to the politics of the time, I think??

HOWEVER, Mr. Hansen has left us with a bit of a CLIFFHANGER. Rude. So I will have to start book 9 sooner than I'd like. Hmph.

Only five books left to read from the series. :\

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always liked the Brandstetter books and this is no exception. I like the intelligence and morality of Dave Brandstetter, the story was pretty good and the resolution satisfying. The “queer” aspect of the books is there without being overwhelming. The military aspect of this book was the least appealing part of the story.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good installment, with Dave showing his age more but still capturing that part of him that can't let things go. Even when it puts him in danger. Because here he's basically on his own for 80% of the book, investigating despite not getting paid for it. Still, he's slipping and can start to see it and the book plays with that well. Cecil remains amazing.

[SB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Brandstetter. Been a month or so since finished it, so I don't remember all the details, other than that it's broader in scope (he gets caught up in an international political kerfluffle) than the previous entries in the series.

[Frank778 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the best in the series. Although still set in California, the story involves a civil war in a fictional Central American country. So the cast of characters not as interesting as usual. But for stalwart fans it is worth reading.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Another solid Dave Brandstetter case. This one would have seemed timely when first published but a less so now and the plot requires more suspension of disbelief than typical for this well-written series. But like Dave, still a noble effort.

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine I guess but the further along in this series I get the less gay it gets. I find that disappointing some how.

[Richard Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

another riveting story in this terrific series.

[Seamus Coon · Rating 4 out of 5]

holy cliffhanger batman

[Gabriella Roach · Rating 3 out of 5]

sorry sorry to myself. because who knew this was part of a series? Not I. Maybe if I had had more context I would've enjoyed this book better oops??

[Matthew Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

He really got away with naming a character Jeff Leppard.

[Tex Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars – Still Good, But Not As Much As Earlier Ones.

I love gay mysteries and romances, and this has been one of the best series combining both, and in the process rightfully became for Joseph Hansen a classic in gay literature. Even though it wasn't as good as the earlier high-quality ones, this eighth in the series was still good and continued to build the story.

I liked this for the same reasons I liked each in the series. First off, for those interested, it worked well as a standalone, with its own self-contained mystery, while also further developing the character and life of the MC, his boyfriend and other supporting characters, and smoothly providing any explanations needed to bring a first-time reader up on previous happenings.

Also, it was a nice, short, easy read, with a good, well-paced plot and character development. I enjoyed the walk back in time to my earlier years, with moments of what was then current situations and culture vividly described by Hansen in a way that helped me remember those times. And I liked that the main focus was on the mystery, with the gay aspect and any romance as a major subplot. The mystery itself was engaging and suspenseful, with the investigation having realistic twists and turns. It had a refreshing approach of not featuring your typical detective or PI but an insurance investigator pursuing the clues. I appreciated where this paralleled the politics at the time, with the MC getting involved with Latin American unrest. I wasn't not sure about some of the motives, like why the supposed suicide was being investigated in the first place, and things were a bit implausible at times. Nevertheless, the tension was still there with the MC putting himself at risk in his passionate, laudable pursuit of justice, despite the concerns of his lover.

Hansen also developed nicely the whole set of characters. Of course there was more on the MC, with Hansen really getting into the life and mindset of a hard-boiled, matter-of-fact, honorable, self-accepting, sometimes melancholy gay man who I grew to like for all his skills, heart and humanness. As for the supporting cast, I also got a good feel for who they were, with some new ones to keep things fresh. For those who read the previous books, it was nice that some characters returned; but don't worry first-time readers, they were introduced and described just as if it’s a standalone. A nice bonus has been the MC’s gay life and relationships, and I was pleased to see his relationship with his boyfriend continued. Not only did I appreciate the interracial, intergenerational diversity, but also the opportunity it gave Hansen to further develop a maturing relationship for the MC, reflecting the realities of such things.

I continue to be impressed with the level of quality that Hansen maintains in this series, and I look forward to the next one.

[Neet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 8th mystery in the Dave Brandstetter mysteries and again one of the weaker books. In this book we find Dave investigating again freelance for an insurance company the mysterious death of celebrated foreign correspondent Adam Streeter . The police have deemed his death suicide, but Adam's daughter Chrssy doesn't think so. Adam was very protective of his young daughter, who happens to be blind and wouldn't desert his daughter and leave her in the hands of his ex, who happens to be a pill popping drunk who only love is for money and next drink or pill.Dave starts to feel that Adam didn't kill himself and the lists of suspects gets longer. This wasn't my favorite of the series and I couldn't wait to finish it .