Author Lenhardt Stevens’ somewhat lean, but always forward moving, novel can best be described as a kind of maze in which characters and their secrets are constantly increasing in complexity and intrigue. At the center of the, traditional yet somehow contemporary, mystery tale is the charismatic and stylish, Draper Burns. Burns has the street smarts of both a con man and a “wanna be” entrepreneur. He also readily engages in the part-time stealing of watches. He’s certainly isn’t the most noble of protagonists, but Stevens manages to paint the picture of an interesting underdog who we favor, despite really understanding why.
Another character, just as lively as Burns and cut from the same cloth in many respects, is Hap Wiseman. He is also an entrepreneur, although his successes are far more admirable and don’t involve stealing wristwatches. Wiseman is also Burns’s boss and ultimately gives him the arduous but delightful task of learning more about the movie industry after he becomes head of a, mildly-booming, production company.
On this information-gathering journey, he indelibly meets a plethora of characters just as quirky as him. The plot thickens. Though mostly focusing on Burns, Stevens takes the time to fully explore each of the story’s characters, but never steers too far away from its central scenario. Another factor adding to the complexity of the story, is the fact that Portland is the author’s chosen setting; not a town one readily thinks of when conjuring images of old “Hollywood-ish” noir. Still this less than a predictable setting, somehow modernizes the book in a way that prevents it from falling into the realm of cliché, which is often the case when this genre is utilized. The Hapless Valet is a good read, especially for avid fans of mystery novels.
THE HAPLESS VALET is a charmingly humorous mystery novel that evokes nostalgia for 1950’s noir.
Reviewed by Rebecca Nichloson for IndieReader.