Strange Bedfellows (Jacob Burns Mysteries)

I read this when it first came out (Election Day), but didn't get around to writing a review until now. I'm surprised at how many scenes and characters I still remember vividly. In a style that's almost breezy, Witten confidently, swiftly tells an absorbing story, with plenty of twists and humor along the way. This book, like the others in the series, reads like the work of a talented and accomplished author who's writing these mysteries from sheer love of the genre. Highly recommended.

Amateur sleuth novels are not usually my cup of tea but I love Matt Witten's Jacob Burns series. Must be because Jacob's so delightful...a devoted father who's a little embarrassed by his financial success as a screenwriter of a schlocky but hugely profitable Hollywood movie. However, I do wish Jacob wouldn't be *quite* so pushy when he goes about his detective work. You'd think a man with two young sons would be a little more careful. If he weren't a fictional character, someone surely would have bumped him off a long time ago! Witten is a writer for "Law and Order" but don't look for the grittiness or realism of that show in his books. Still, if you enjoy humorous, well-plotted mysteries, give this series a try. Witten's books are among the few that always make me laugh out loud.

After failing for years to sell a literary screenplay, Jacob writes a shoddy horror movie in five weeks and receives one million dollars in compensation for it. After taxes and paying off a sundry of supporters, Jacob nets $300,000. This allows him to become a househusband while working through a mid-life crisis. Along the way, Jacob solves two homicides so it is natural for his best friend to ask him for help when he is arrested for murder.Will Schmuckler is running for a seat in Congress from an area in upstate New York that has never voted democrat let alone for a Jew. Schmuckler happens to be both so is expected to be one of worst losers in the district's history. However, the odds change when someone murders Schmuckler's opponent in the green room where the victim and Will wait to begin a radio debate. Will insists he went to the bathroom when he heard the shot that killed his opponent. The cops arrest Will, leaving it up to Jacob to prove his friend's innocence. His investigations reveal many suspects with dirty secrets that leads to Jacob and his family into danger from an angry person fearing the screen writer knows too much.Matt Witten is a master at characterization by creating people so real they in turn make the story line feel plausible especially in light of Mr. Clinton's sex scandal. Jacob is a likable chap who always finds himself in remarkable situations in which he does nothing to expedite himself. STRANGE BEDFELLOWS is a treat for amateur sleuth gourmets. The author imbues the work with a touch of humor that pops up at the most unexpected times.Harriet Klausner