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The Hidden Assassinsby: Robert Wilson |
As Dog is My Witnessby Jeffrey CohenAs Dog is My Witness is Jeffrey Cohen's third book in his Aaron Tucker series, filled with Mr. Cohen's trademark wit, wisdom and humor. Mr. Cohen's protagonist, like Mr. Cohen himself, has two children, one of whom has Asperger Syndrome a little known type of autistic disease about which Jeffrey Cohen uses to extend our knowledge. Mr. Cohen makes no bones about the fact that both he and Aaron Tucker are Jewish, and the wisecracks on almost every page certainly attest to the fact that humor is just as prevalent as the famous Jewish guilt!Michael Huston is out walking his dog on a cold winter night when he is unexpectedly shot dead for no apparent reason. When Aaron Tucker, a freelance writer and stay-at-home dad gets a call from Lori Shery, head of the Asperger Syndrome Education Network saying that Justin Fowler had confessed to killing Michael, Aaron agrees to write a story on him. Justin Fowler, although a good deal older than Aaron's son Ethan, also had Asperger's. Karen Huston, Michael's widow, doesn't think Justin killed her husband. The course of events is then complicated by the descent of Aaron's wife's cheapskate brother, Howard Stein, his wife Andrea, and his 15-year-old son Dylan who loves to tease and torment Ethan. This family of monsters has decided to spend a week's holiday with Howard's sister Abby (Aaron's wife) and leave on Christmas Day. Staying with a relative is less expensive than a hotel, of course especially if you get free meals as well and flying home on Christmas Day means cheaper airfares. Added to Aaron's frustration is the fact that his wife wants him to make nice with her relatives In addition to the difficulties at home, Aaron gets unintentionally involved with a famous crime boss and his three stooges, plus Kevin Fowler, Justin's brother and Mary Fowler's college-age son. When Aaron takes Ethan to meet Justin with the hope that both of them being Asperger victims will somehow release everything Justin knows, he gets a real surprise: Ethan proves himself adept at interrogation, securing facts from avenues even Aaron hadn't thought to pursue from both Justin and Karen Huston. When the killer is finally apprehended after a hair-raising experience involving Aaron, As Dog is My Witness comes to a satisfying conclusion for all even the relatives from Hell. Aaron Tucker writes his Justin story and finishes the re-write on a Hollywood script both at the deadline, and As Dog is My Witness ends happily at the countdown to the New Year. Jeffrey Cohen writes with tongue firmly planted in cheek and although completely different from fun writers like, say Janet Evanovich, Mr. Cohen obviously has no hesitation when it comes to putting down the pompous, the proud, and the politic. New Jersey can claim to be the birthplace of a number of famous names all of whom moved elsewhere as soon as they could. So how come Jeffrey Cohen stays? Anyhow, As Dog is My Witness is a good step toward joining that list! Alan Paul Curtis |
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