La libreria del mistero: Stelle di latta

This time the mystery woman and her coterie of allies, in particular former CIA hacker and now business colleague Philby (Clarence Williams III) and Cassie (Nina Siemaszko), her best friend who just happens to be a lawyer, investigate the murder of a stuntman in a wild west show who was doubling for the hero Clint (as in Clint Eastwood) played by Bruce Boxleitner. Since the show centers around the not so happy troupe of cowboys and one cowgirl, Annie (as in Annie Oakley), the change of venue adds an atmosphere of novelty to a series that was becoming somewhat stale.

The rugged wild west show cast adds a note of believability to the mystery. Solving the murder becomes more complicated as the investigative team discovers that the hero Clint was having financial problems that involved internet gambling, bad investments, and an ex that he stole from another of the cowboys, Strother (Wings Hauser). Suspicion falls on Clint because he had previously faked an accident by having his stirrup strap slashed so he would fall in front of the spectators, enabling him to get free publicity.

While the plot is tried and true going back to at least the Gene Autry oater "Home in Wyomin'" (1942) where the reverse happens and someone in a wild west show shoots one of the fans in the stands, watching the mystery woman team work is a pleasure if you don't take it all too seriously. The acting is top notch. It's good to see Clarence Williams III of "Mod Squad" fame on the tube once more. His part is a delight and the writers usually give him some good lines.

As the old banjo player Floyd Holland used to say just before he performed, "If you don't expect much, you won't be disappointed."