HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES

In this pet-centered whodunit, the author takes readers back to 1940 and the days of classic Hollywood, where young private detective Babs Norman and her delightfully irreverent sidekick Guy Brandt attempt to solve the mystery of the disappearing dogs. The canines in question are hardly ordinary, and Babs, recently evicted from her apartment in West Hollywood, hopes to earn substantial reward money for finding them. One of the dogs is Leo, the beloved cocker spaniel of actor Basil Rathbone (famous for his portrayals of Sherlock Holmes), and the other is Asta, the highly trained fox terrier featured in the famous Thin Man films. Hired on retainer, Babs and Guy plunge into the competitive Hollywood celebrity culture, while Basil Rathbone assists them, using the sleuthing techniques of his most successful on-screen character. The motives for the canine abduction are unclear, but suspects include the mysterious German countess Velma Von Rache, who has an unusual interest in dog breeds and whose name reminds Babs of a revealing clue in the Sherlock Holmes novel A Study in Scarlet. And then there are the German-accented late-night phone calls to the home of Asta’s highly accomplished trainer, Henry East, demanding the sale of certain purebred animals. Could someone be holding the dogs for ransom? The novel takes several unexpected turns as Babs finds herself literally at sea, caught in a dangerous world spiraling rapidly into World War II. The story is well written, and protagonists Babs and Guy are endearing, but the narrative can be too cluttered at times by the sheer numbers of famous Hollywood actors, writers, and directors who make appearances. While some might struggle with the occasionally shaky balance between story and setting, readers interested in this golden era of American filmmaking will no doubt appreciate the author’s obvious mastery of the period.