Where were you—or your parents—on December 7, 1941? On that Day of Infamy, Katy Green is playing in a band on the SS Lurline. While enroute to Hawai’i, the ship, like the world at large, is riven by intrigues both political and personal, and by a murder that might be a foretaste of war.
A pleasure cruise, a treasure hunt, swing music, and murder—who could ask for anything more? Nostalgia buffs will revel in the authentic period detail for which author Hal Glatzer has received high praise in his previous Katy Green mysteries. From his own collection of 1930s and ‘40s ephemera and memorabilia he has provided the perfect vintage postcard, many of the SS Lurline herself, to introduce each of the 13 chapters, as well as cover and frontispiece illustrations. Ebay users know how valuable the Lurline souvenirs (e.g. menus) are, and how highly prized today. Glatzer also writes from his experience as a working musician, giving the reader a backstage view of a dance-band’s formation, music choice and arrangement, rehearsal, and performance. Swing music fans of yesterday and today will find much of interest. For history enthusiasts, a fascinating account of Hawaiian sovereignty issues is interwoven into the story. Political types will find several parallels between the run-up to the Second World War and today’s conflicts. Even Stanford and Cal graduates will enjoy the traditional Big Game rivalry aboard ship. And anyone who likes a cleverly clued puzzle and a spine-tingling denouement will be fully satisfied by The Last Full Measure.
Hal Glatzer is the author of two previous Katy Green mysteries, which are also award-winning audioplays. As well as a writer, he is a composer who additionally performs as a swing and jazz musician. (He composed “A Lover of the Orchid Isle,” a hapa-haole song for this book). He worked for eleven years as a newspaper and television reporter in Hawai’i. Glatzer and his wife divide their time among San Francisco, New York, and the Big Island.
Visit Hal Glatzer's website, which features a distinguished list of classical music mysteries, among other attractions.
