The Question of the Missing Head

The Question of the Missing Head by E.J. Copperman and Jeff Cohen, 324 pages

Samuel Hoenig is not your average detective. He runs a one-man business called Questions Answered, in which he answers everything everything from "Where is my missing pet?" to "Will it be possible for a player to hit a home run that completely exits the new Yankee Stadium?" He's also got Asperger's Syndrome, which throws a wrench into the typical procedure of detecting but, as he sees it, gives him a special set of abilities that assist in his profession. This book, the first of a series, sees Samuel attempting to answer the question, "Where is Rita Masters-Powell's frozen head?", which has gone missing from the cryonics facility that was storing it. When the missing head question leads to a murder case, Samuel finds himself attempting to answer a question much harder than any other ever set before him.

Samuel is a great character, as is his accidental sidekick Janet Washburn, and the mystery is certainly a good one, filled with red herrings and plot twists. I particularly like how Samuel's Asperger's plays into his crime-solving abilities. That said, there are times that Copperman and Cohen are a bit heavy-handed in their descriptions of Asperger's, perhaps in an attempt to make sure that any reader fully understands the disorder. I suppose that's all well and good for someone who is completely unfamiliar with autism spectrum disorders, but for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time or The Rosie Project, it can seem a bit patronizing. I hope that the teaching element peters out as the series continues, because the authors have created a great character with a lot of potential. Fans of cozy mysteries, Monk, and/or the aforementioned Curious Incident and Rosie Project will enjoy this one.