The Last Manly Man

Robin Hudson #4

by Sparkle Hayter

A series of random encounters and one dead man lead sassy, successful reporter Robin Hudson onto the trail of a mysterious chemical called Adam One and into the macho world of hunting and fistfighting. By the author of What's a Girl Gotta Do? Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Cozy

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Sparkle Hayter is a Canadian journalist and author.

Hayter was born in Pouce Coupe, British Columbia, Canada and grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1986, she graduated in film and television production from New York University. Among other things, she worked for CNN in Atlanta, WABC in New York and Global Television in Toronto. At the time of the Afghan civil war, she moved to Pakistan and then went along with the Mujahedin to Afghanistan, reporting for the Toronto Star. After this, she decided to give up journalism as a career. After her return to the U.S. she married and began her career as a comic and a writer with her first, not very successful, novel. She moved briefly to Tokyo, then on her return to New York divorced and went to live in the famous Chelsea Hotel

She then published a further 5 novels, the Robin Hudson series, which proved her breakthrough. She wrote for the New York Times Op-Ed Page, the Nation and Toronto Globe and Mail, was a regular participant on CNN's talk show "CNN & Company" and was also seen on Good Day New York, NPR, CBC, BBC and Paris Premiere. Currently she lives in Paris and is writing her next novel.

Series:
* Robin Hudson

Awards:
* Arthur Ellis Award
o Best First Novel (1995): What's a Girl Gotta Do?

Reviews

[D.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luck-challenged, polyamorous, wisecracking journalist/inadvertent sleuth Robin Hudson is back, her TV series on the changing roles of men in modern society intercepted by a drugged man in an old-fashioned hat, a freshly drowned Frenchman who was supposed to have died years before, a varied assortment of earnest men in a multi-celled environmental group, her news network rivals, her undependable but sweet boyfriends, and some missing, matriarchal, and horny bonobo chimps.

Overall, I just really like Sparkle Hayter's style and Robin's voice in these books. This one was a little more unified than the Cootie Girls book, and a lot of fun. A light, quick read with some food for thought re: male/female relationships and modern ethics when it comes to such areas as animal rights and biological experimentation. I find her style a bit breezier and less bogged down in unnecessary detail than, say, Sue Grafton, less literary but also less liable to sucker-punch you with something brutal than Martha Grimes (who I otherwise love). Just good fun. Wondering where she's been recently, wish her well, and hope to see more of her work soon.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are hilarious

[Lee Thames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy, bawdy, beach read.

The trials and tribulations a 30-year old reporter in New York City working for a 24-hour all news network in the 1990's.

Ms. Hudson starts out the 90's at 30 years old and through five books reaches the mellinium and 40.

Mentioned as like Izzy Spellman. Ms. Hudson is not nearly the character that is Izzy, but fun and a few good quirky supporting characters despite terrible cover art.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I guess it wasn't awful.
Either I just wasn't into it, or this one was much different (and worse) than the rest of her books.
I did finish. But that's about it.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the last one in this series.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

På svenska 'Riktiga karlar'.

[Lila · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quite silly romp. This one goes beyond believably even for comic adventures. Needs more cats.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m really not a big fan of the satire in this book. I was not laughing out loud nor did I particularly enjoy the plot. I decided not to finish the book and move onto books that more fit my taste.

[D.A. Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Sparkle Hayter, everything from her name to her cheeky, irrepressible, slightly NSFW writing. I adored "Nice Girls Finish Last" and snickered through "what's a girl gotta do".
Have to admit this wasn't my favourite, though. The plot was beyond silly and I couldn't keep focused on it, despite the fun writing.
Looking forward to he next one....

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

"After all this, I took a little time just to try to figure out what life lessons could be pulled out of all this. You know, it's a curse to be as smart as me. I'm not boasting - I'm just smart enough to know how stupid I am, and that's a curse."

[Ronn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was not not particularly moved by the 50-page mark; the plot seemed quite contrived and ordinary, but I persevered. I'm glad I did. There were enough plot twists by the end that I did not expect that by the end, I really wanted another 100 pages.

[Kayleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A light mindless read. Not very funny.

[Sheri · Rating 1 out of 5]

my mom gave this to me for xmas in '98. do i need to keep it? time to read it and see....

but it's just too stupid for me to finish.....

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gender roles in society + more

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was one of the weaker in the Robin Hudson series, though I still liked it. Start at the beginning, though, if you want to read these: "What's a Girl Gotta Do?"

[Rebecca]

I'm hoping it is just as funny as the first.