Books: Fletch's Moxie By Gregory McDonald (1981)

Ms. Moxie Mooney is Hollywood royalty -- and she's in trouble. At the summons of his on-again, off-again lover, Fletch drops in on Moxie's film set, located in sunny Florida. If being called up for help by the box office beauty isn't work enough, Steve Peterman, Moxie's sleazy manager, is murdered while the cameras are rolling, and no one managed to see a thing. Despite the obvious lack of evidence, the rumor mill is still quick to churn up a potentially plausible suspect: Moxie. Realizing the need for a little R&R away from prying eyes, he hastily flies Moxie and her drunken father off to Key West. But trouble follows Fletch, in every sense of the word, and soon enough he's playing host to a full house of Hollywood's brightest. In true Fletch style, he delves into the investigation, dodging police inquiry, betting on race horses, taking a leisurely sail, and talking up his elite houseguests to get the dirt and solve this perplexing murder.

Not much goes on in the eighth Fletch book (chronologically, but the fifth published) beyond the murder in the beginning and the surprise meaty part towards the end. A lot of the middle parts seem to be random musings on Hollywood, the press, commentary on how “actors are only one with oneself while one is being someone else” and the set up of how many people hated and had reasons to murder Steve Peterman. Then there is the real introduction of actress and love interest of Fletch, Moxie (who had a cameo appearance in the prequel novel Fletch and the Widow Bradley), who is an interesting and complex character, written as three dimensional, intelligent women. The book is still a bit light, less humorous, but worth a read.

As with others books in the series, Mcdonald creates strong characters, using wit, sarcasm, and clever themes.