From Kirkus Reviews
Another pleasantly foolish outing for Toby Peters (The Melting Clock, 1991, etc.), shamus to Hollywood's Golden Age stars. The client this time (1943) is Bette Davis's husband Arthur Farnsworth, whose aeronautical research on a modified bombsight has brought him to the attention of a gang that wants to swap the plans for an old sound-recording that Toby would rather forget--a record of how Davis's first husband, Ham Nelson, blackmailed Howard Hughes over a little performance coaching she gave him--and threatens to kidnap the star if Farnsworth won't play ball. The byplay between Toby and Davis, who stops recycling dialogue from her movies only long enough to get snatched three times, is the high point here; better pass over the mystery in silence. Bright and insubstantial as a meringue. Not the best in this waggish, venerable series. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review
San Diego Union-Tribune Shades of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. If you think Stuart Kaminsky doesn't have a feeling for the best of both authors, you are in for a surprise.

Book Description
FIRST TRADE PAPERBACK EDITION BY EDGAR AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR STUART KAMINSKY "I'm here," came a familiar voice. I turned and found myself looking at Bette Davis no more than a half a dozen feet in front of me. She strode forward around two couples and stood in front of me with a smile that could kill. The orchestra had picked up the theme and it was hard to hear her as she said: "Why are you following me?" Why has legendary actress Bette Davis been kidnapped not once, not twice, but three times? And what does her abduction have to do with the Third Reich's attempts to steal America's plans for a top-secret superbomber? In pursuit of answers, private eye Toby Peters must penetrate a hapless spy ring composed of third-rate Tinseltown tough guys, and delve into the bedroom peccadillos of America's glitter set. As bodies begin piling around him, he finds himself racing to the rescue of Miss Davis. But if he fails in his mission, who'll protect Peters from the wrath of the star...?

Download Description
Why has legendary actress Bette Davis been kidnapped not once, not twice, but three times? And what does her abduction have to do with the Third Reich's attempts to steal America's plans for a top-secret superbomber? In pursuit of answers, private eye Toby Peters must penetrate a hapless spy ring composed of third-rate Tinseltown tough guys, and delve into the bedroom peccadillos of America's glitter set. As odies begin piling around him, he finds himself racing to teh rescue of Miss Davis. But if he fails in his mission, who'll protect Peters from the wrath of the star ... ?

ANNOTATION

Fasten your seatbelts--it's going to be a bumpy ride through 1940s Hollywood as detective Toby Peters is assigned to protect Bette Davis from a rag-tag group of spies. And when the no-nonsense leading lady is kidnapped not once, not twice, but three times, Toby wonders who is going to protect him from her.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Why has legendary actress Bette Davis been kidnapped not once, not twice, but three times? And what does her abduction have to do with the Third Reich's attempts to steal America's plans for a top-secret superbomber?

In pursuit of answers, private eye Toby Peters must penetrate a hapless spy ring composed of third-rate Tinseltown tough guys, and delve into the bedroom peccadillos of America's glitter set. As bodies begin piling around him, he finds himself racing to the rescue of Miss Davis.

But if he fails in his mission, who'll protect Peters from the wrath of the star...?

FROM THE CRITICS

Houston Chronicle

If you like your mysteries Sam Spade tough, with tongue-in-cheek and a touch of the theatrical, then the Toby Peters series is just your ticket.

San Diego Union-Tribune