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It's said that Florida is where old people go while they're waiting to die. This might be the reason why 87-year-old Harry Lipkin is in the Sunshine State but he's bored waiting around for death to make an appearance. Being a former cop and a former GI, Harry thought that he'd become a private investigator. So this Jewish, blintzes-eating, denture-wearing man got himself a license and has a made a name for himself as a PI in Miami. His newest client, Mrs. Norma Weinberger, a widow, has a problem. She has a huge home where there are numerous employees who help her through her days but lately she doesn't trust them. Someone is stealing her jewelry. Not that all the jewelry is expensive, most are little tchotchkes that have a sentimental meaning just to her, but some have gone missing from her home. Who's stealing her trinkets? Is it the cook; the maid; the chauffeur; the chef; the butler? Is this a game of Clue? Norma hires Harry to investigate. He visits Mrs. Weinberger and questions her employees to figure out who might need some extra cash. And who can blame Norma, who is close to Harry's age, if she ends up trying to seduce him? There's no age limit for love. Lipkin has made a lot of friends in his years in Miami and gets many of them involved in helping him solve this crime. Where would a good P.I. be without his friends? HARRY LIPKIN – PRIVATE EYE is one funny book. Author Barry Fantoni's main character, Harry, is wonderfully funny. He doesn't take himself too seriously but he's understanding of the problems and personal hurts that live within everyone. It's a joy to read how Harry gets himself out of predicaments and how he easily relates to the lives of the possible thieves. Readers can figure out the ending from a mile away but the novel isn't so much about who is stealing Mrs. Weinberger's belongings but how the characters interact with each other. Fantoni does a nice job of showing how sad Norma is because she feels as if her staff is her family and wonders why they're stealing from her when she would gladly give them anything they need. The book can be read in one day and with lots of smiles, giggles, and laughter. Take a day off from work and take a tour of Miami with Harry as we meet his friends as watch how he solves this crime. HARRY LIPKIN – PRIVATE EYE is a terrific story. § Sharon Katz has been reviewing books for RTE for many years. She lives in Brooklyn.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, July 2012
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