A Corpse By Any Other Name Review

A Corpse By Any Other Name
by Neil McGaughey
Scribner, March, 1998.
Hardcover, 203 pages.
ISBN: 0684197626.
Ordering information: Amazon.com.

Kyle Malachi can't stand it anymore. Stokes Moran must die, regardless of the fact that Stokes is not a flesh and blood human, but Malachi's nom de plume when writing as the famous mystery critic. Over the loud objections of his wife, agent Lee Holland, Malachi places the obituary of Stokes Moran in The New York Times, thereby ending the 10-year reign of Moran as the premier American mystery critic. So it is only natural that Kyle and Lee are totally shocked when they get a call from New York's finest asking them to come identify the body of none other than the recently-deceased Moran, whose body showed up in a seedy New York building. As Kyle and Lee attempt to explain to the skeptical authorities their relationship with the deceased Mr. Moran, they quickly realize that it's up to them to find out the identity of the corpse in order to exonerate themselves from suspicion in the murder of the mystery man. So Kyle and Lee move into their apartment in the city and set out to investigate. Their quest leads them into some odd parts of New York and encountering a host of odd characters such as the homeless lady who may be a witness to the crime.

With his classic comic wit and snappy dialogue, Neil McGaughey turns up a winner with the latest Stokes Moran mystery. The sly humor, twisting plot and the comraderie between Lee and Kyle make for fun, intelligent reading. The quotes from famous mystery authors' works are, as always, a treat to read as they provide commentary on the shenanigans of Kyle and Lee. Another fun outing for Moran fans.

Return to the April 1998 issue of The IWJ.