Although I've been a Donald E. Westlake fan for decades, I had never read any of the novels he wrote under the name Tucker Coe. I finally remedied that with “Don't Lie to Me” (1972).

Not humorous like most of the novels he wrote under his own name or as hard and passionless as those he wrote as Richard Stark, this story takes a middle ground, although still with that unmistakeable Westlake style.

Mitch Tobin, a former police officer, now works as a nightwatchman at a New York City museum. He had been booted off the force when his partner was killed while he was in the arms of a criminal's wife. Now that woman reenters his life by coming to the museum at night to ask for Tobin's help in getting her husband out of a jam. Then they discover a naked dead man in one of the museum galleries, where Tobin had walked through just minutes before.

Tobin wants to keep the woman's presence at the crime scene a secret from the police, while trying to protect her husband from the hoods trying to get him back into crime. To accomplish these goals and get the police off his back, he soon realizes he must first solve the murder at the museum. And this leads to being roughed up by both the police and the crooks, leaving Tobin barely able to walk by the time he puts everything together.

Coe, in the usual Westlake manner, gives us a complex mystery that is not all that difficult for readers to follow. Too many mystery writers can't do that, certainly not as well. ( )

This PI from the early 70s is an enjoyable read. The protagonist just has to tell one wee lie when he’s interrogated by the police over the body he just found. Of course, it doesn’t work out as smoothly as he had planned. This novel involves a naked body in a museum, academic infighting, and revenge, and winds up with 20 or so breathless suspense pages. Why have we forgotten detective Mitch Tobin? Maybe not of the first quality, but he doesn’t deserve oblivion.

PS: Please also see my comments on Westlake’s Help I Am Being Held Prisoner. ( )