Die Laughing Author:Steve Allen The indefatigable Allen presents his forty-sixth book, and remarkably, the fresh and funny tale shows no signs that the author might be slipping a bit. Starring Allen himself and wife Jayne as amateur sleuths, the tale begins with octogenarian comic Benny Hartman making a deathbed request to Steve--organize an awards ceremony to honor the funnie... more »st person in the world, with a million dollars from Benny as the ultimate prize. Then Benny dies, and at his funeral, another comic is killed--but not before delivering a mysterious clue to Steve. Of course, Steve and Jayne can't leave the mystery alone. More murders, a resurrection, a fire, a kidnapping, a scam, and a scandal keep the sleuthing duo on their toes as they try to discover how all the pieces fit together. Allen has deftly crafted an original, intelligent, charming, lively, and suspenseful mystery. The story will fill Hollywood buffs with nostalgia and keep even the cleverest reader guessing.« less
Benny hartman, 85-year old cigar chomping veteran of vaudeville, radio, stage and screen, is still drawing crowds even though he's stone cold dead. Every comedy superstar in Hollywood is present.