Book Review: The Man of Maybe Half-a-Dozen Faces

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Man of Maybe Half-a-Dozen Faces     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Ray Vukcevich
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator
St. Martin’s, Feb 2000, $22.95, 256 pp.

Private Investigator Skylight Howells hangs his hat in Eugene, Oregon. Many sleuths call Oregon their home, but none have the various personalities like Sky has. In fact Sky is only one of Brian Dobson’s personas. These include Dennis the math nerd, Dieter the chef, Scarface with the hideous visage, Lulu the one who goes where others cannot, and Tag the common man.

Perhaps Mr. Dobson suffers from multiple personality disorder or maybe he is just an eccentric actor who buries himself in his role. However, whatever the cause, it does not matter since each of the personalities work towards the same common goal of solving a case, whether it is finding out whether a spouse is cheating or tracking down a murder.

This novel is one of the most unusual tales ever written. The personas constantly switch roles and the narration changes from first person to third and back again. This makes for a wild ride for the reader trying to absorb everything as the protagonist(s?) keeps the story line moving. The scene where all the personas meet in cyberspace is humorous in a Mad Magazine sort of way. Fans of Monty Python or Mel Brooks (the early works) will enjoy this eccentric mystery.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner