A unique protagonist - Samuel has Asperger's - and a fun mystery make for a good read. Can someone have an affair with a ghost if ghosts don't exist? That's the question Samuel is trying to answer. He's also working on his personal relationships. A different sort of cozy for fans of the genre.

A good book. Well written with great characters and a good plot. The storyline flows and the mystery is enjoyable. I highly recommend.,

This book was enjoyable. The characters are interesting and the story is unusual. This is more of what I refer to as a 'cozy' mystery than a straightforward mystery. But I enjoyed it nevertheless.

An excellent read with an exceptional sleuth, but don't call him a sleuth because he isn't a PI but he is researcher and a business owner. Samuel lives with Asperger's Syndrome, which in his case means that he takes things quite literally and does not always understand social context but he endeavors to do so none the less. His business is research based rightly named Questions Answered. Samuel sees things as black and white so when the latest customer asks him to find out if her husband is having an affair with his dead girlfriend he must pass the question off to his assistant Ms. Washburn who is a little more open minded about things such as ghosts. This story is a wildly logical and very human at the same time. You can't help but to find Samuel endearing for all of his idiosyncrasies. This reminded of the TV show Monk which I thoroughly enjoyed and so I look forward to reading the previous books and the future ones. Great character development!

This had a great plot and great characters! I felt immediately drawn into the story and totally think this will be a big selling hit when it is released! I cannot wait for other works by this author and recommend this wholeheartedly!

E.J. Cooperman continues his engaging Asperger's mystery series with The Question of the Dead Mistress. Samuel Hoenig who has Asperger Syndrome and his associate Ms. Washburn have been asked at their business Questions Answered to find out if Virginia's husband is communing with his dead mistress Melanie. Samuel is also working out his relation with his father who has been returned to Samuel's mother after a very long absence. Then there is the developing relation between Samuel and Ms. Washburn. Then Virginia's husband turns up murdered. There is a call from the dead lover Melanie in the graveyard. Whodunit to several dead bodies. Lots of criminal suspects. Sympathetic portrayal of individual with Asperger's. Interesting cozy.

An Asperger's Mystery Series book 5 is a delightful mystery . I love the compassion the author writes with for someone coping with Asperger's Syndrome as disabilities are so rarely valued in our society and in book series. I appreciate the author writing of the charming main character with this disability. This is my first book in the series and I look forward to catching up with the first in series. I highly recommend this mystery. The main character Samuel runs his own business where he acts as a information detective answering questions for people that otherwise may go unanswered. In this case he and his assistant are asked a strange question that concerns a cheating husband and a ghost. The client believes her husband is having an affair with a ghost.. As they banter back and forth about the possibility many possible clues arise that may have our skeptical Samuel believing in ghost after all. Or is it an illusion ?

This is a well crafted sleuth, has a right dose of humor and a very good whodunit. I loved that Samuel preserves through difficult social situations and is portrayed so realistically. Very well done to the author. I thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Samuel, who has Asperger’s syndrome, runs an agency called Questions Answered. Each of the volumes is spurred by an unusual question, which usually leads to a murder to solve. In this case, the question is, “Is my husband having an affair with his dead girlfriend?” Since Samuel doesn’t believe in ghosts, the immediate answer is “no”, which brings him into conflict with his work partner Ms. Washburn, who says she’s seen one. Since the two are also now dating — and seeing Samuel deal with what that means is both funny and touching, as well as informative to the nature of neurodiversity — this complicates things.

The mystery involves a not-very-nice real estate developer (always good when your murder victim isn’t really missed much by anyone), his suspicious widow, an old flame, her husband, and some frat brothers. Given the jobs and the way everyone cheats on each other, it shouldn’t be surprising this is set in New Jersey. Adding to the human situation is the presence of Samuel’s parents, continuing from the previous book, The Question of the Absentee Father.

As always, Samuel’s situation puts an involving twist on the standard “logical but bad with emotions” detective type. His narration puts the reader in a more sympathetic situation, as we discover how he thinks through things, coming up with surprising but solid rationales and solutions.

The Question of the Dead Mistress is the second book in the Asberger's Mystery Series and is told from the view of the protagonist, Samuel Hoenig. Samuel and his associate Janet run a business called Questions Answered. In this book the question was "Is my husband having an affair with a dead woman?"

I liked the characters and the story, although it was sometimes confusing.

I found that the story told from the point of view of a person with Asperger's was challenging, but interesting. His thought process was explained in detail which was tedious at times.

I am really enjoying this series. I find the writing to be outstanding and the portrayal of the main character very real. The main character is learning new things at all times and trying to incorporate them into himself while answering questions for clients. Really loved the story with humor and mystery. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Samuel Hoenig's voice is unique and continues to fascinate. I love his insights into the neurotypical world and his relationships with those around him -- his girlfriend, Ms. Washburn; his parents; and his friend Mike the cabdriver. The question here is an interesting one, and one that threatens to drive a wedge between him and Ms. Washburn-- can the ghost of a dead ex-girlfriend be haunting a woman's husband? I love the way the relationship between Samuel and Janet (will he ever call her by her first name?) keeps growing from book to book.

I enjoyed this mystery. This is my first Copperman book, but I would like to read others.

Samuel Hoenig is a young man who has asperger's and owns a business called "Questions Answered". He lives in an apartment at his mother's house.

The author does an excellent job of making Samuel come to life with his need to have everything happen in a precise way. Whether it's his daily activities at work or his travels to and from home, where his meals are precise and predictable,Samuel Hoenig's character is very believable.

I love that he has a job that he can research people's questions. He isn't really a detective, but the dialog reminds me of the show "Elementary" where Sherlock Holmes solves problems for the the New York Police department working as a consultant.

I do not like or believe in ghosts. This is too much for me. I do not care for the two main characters. I do not care for the feminist Ms.; this is not enjoyable reading matter in my opinion.
Thank you Netgalley.
Carolintallahassee

A lovely mystery, full of humour and enjoyable.
I loved the plot, the cast of characters and the style of writing.
I really appreciated how Samuel's Aperger is treated, without any false piety but making him a real person.
I look forward to read other instalments in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Midnight Ink and Netgalley for this ARC

The Question of the Dead Mistress is the latest book in the Asperger Mystery series. Samuel Hoenig is a unique young man and he owns a unique company called Questions Answered. Samuel also has Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of autism. The story is told from Samuel’s perspective and the reader learns just how challenging Asperger’s can be.

With the aid of Ms Washburn, his friend and colleague (and girlfriend?), Samuel’s agency attempts to answer questions for people. Anything from how long it would take to travel around the world, to whether or not a woman’s husband is having an affair with his deceased girlfriend. Yes, Questions Answered has a wide variety of clients and questions. When the husband of their client is murdered, Samuel and Ms Washburn’s attention turns to the question of who killed him. While slowly tracking down information to exonerate their client, they meet a variety of interesting characters – almost too many to keep track of! But, in the end, the duo is finally able to answer the question.

E.J Copperman’s depiction of the day-to-day challenges of Asperger’s is humorous as well as frustrating…both for Samuel and the reader. The mystery itself has some convolutions, which makes it both interesting and unexpected.

All in all, I enjoyed this latest Asperger Mystery and I look forward to more from Mr Copperman.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This fifth Asperger's mystery is another enjoyable read because not only are we served up a lovely plot with plenty of twists, fans of the series get to witness the further emotional growth of Samuel Hoenig, a man with Asperger's Syndrome. Samuel is logical, literal, and precise. Readers see the world through his eyes, and how he words things shows us how literal his vision is. For example, he never refers to Ms. Washburn's mode of transportation simply as a car or the Kia, it's always the Kia Spectra. He also works through conversational terms that are nonsensical to him. I really appreciate this chance to experience Samuel's world, all the while knowing that, from time to time, being with someone like him 24/7 could be exhausting to a person who's not used to it.

This is a series best read in order because, throughout it, Samuel's emotional relationships become deeper and more meaningful. The books aren't merely matters of answering the question du jour and solving the mystery, but also of Samuel becoming more sensitive to the emotions of the people he cares for. Jeff Cohen's Asperger's mysteries are something very special. Readers get to flex their deductive muscles in an attempt to solve some first-rate mysteries, and they are also treated to the gradual development of an extremely interesting character. The Question of the Dead Mistress is the best book in the series so far, and I'm looking forward to reading many more.

The Question of the Dead Mistress: An Asperger’s Mystery
By E.J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen
Midnight Ink
October 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

`After encouragement from his mother, Samuel Hoenig put his unique observational skills to use by opening Questions Answered, a Piscataway, New Jersey business that answered any question asked by clients. In between mathematical and logistical calculations to determine the time it takes to circle the globe, Samuel has solved several murders, rescued his long-lost father, and begun a tentative romance with his assistant. The question being asked by a new client may disrupt this relationship at work though, as he and Janet Washburn have decidedly opposing viewpoints on the answer. While Samuel believes that “no” should be the only reasonable answer to the question, “Is my husband having an affair with his dead girlfriend,” Ms. Washburn is open to paranormal possibilities beyond what can be seen. After agreeing that it should be she who leads the case and follows the suspected philanderer Brett Fontaine, Ms. Washburn unfortunately also has the responsibility of calling for help when she discovers him dead.

With Ms. Washburn feeling very protective of her client - and primary suspect - Ginny Fontaine, Questions Answered are soon investigating why Brett was obsessed with the belief that his ex-girlfriend was alive and how that may have played a role in his murder. Interviews with the mourners and not-so-mournful further divides Samuel and Ms. Washburn, with his unique personality ruffling more than a few feathers. Asperger’s may not be a syndrome and instead fall into the category of an autism spectrum disorder, Samuel’s need for routine, difficulty in expressing emotions, and taking words literally still often result in humorous miscommunications and confusion. As they track down the dead girlfriend and Ginny’s own secrets, it is the unproven existence of ghosts, and therefore their logical non-existence, that may prove more threatening to the future of Questions Answered than a manipulative killer.

Having fallen in love with Samuel through his narrations in these past five books, it’s impossible not to get so upset with those who misinterpret his actions or become frustrated with him. While Samuel often misses non-verbal cues and “neurotypical” emotional reactions, the sharp writing allows readers to catch them and sympathize with his confusion. Readers will side with Samuel when he states that he has no connection to the father who left them nearly thirty years ago, and feel anger at those who shame Samuel for his lack of filial love. Samuel is an extraordinarily intelligent and vulnerable character who has grown so much throughout this series, with a once unthinkable romance now blossoming into something more. The thought of this series, full of wry humor, commentary on the human condition, and impossible-to-solve mysteries, ever ending is heart-breaking, even though it builds to a satisfying and rewarding conclusion. This is a wonderful series, told from such an original viewpoint, that readers will only want to know more of what awaits Samuel in future.

Poor Samuel Hoenig is asked to find out if a man is having an affair with his dead mistress. Having read the previous books, I knew pretty much his immediate reaction. Why? Because Samuel is on the autism spectrum and wouldn't have someone pay to answer a question when he already knows the answer. Thankfully Mrs. Washburn is there to convince him to let her answer the question and the plot thickens from there. At a couple parts things seemed to get a bit confusing but I love how Samuel is written, how he still refers to his friend as Mrs. Washburn, and how he recognizes his own obstacles and is constantly working on fighting them. He is a very lovable character and the result is a quirky fun read.

E. J. Copperman’s Asperger Mystery series continues to provide skillfully, and sensitively fabricated mysteries solved by an investigator with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Questions Answered is the service Samuel Hoenig offers clients for a fee. In this case, Virginia Fontaine wants to know if her husband, Brett, is having an affair with his dead high school girlfriend. As Samuel is very literal and believes ghosts do not exist, he answers, unequivocally, no, Brett is not having an affair with the ghost of his former girlfriend. Janet Washburn, Samuel’s associate, suggests otherwise. After reflecting on the situation Samuel suggests that Janet take the assignment as she does believe ghosts exist. So, Janet’s on the case, following Brett, when she discovers his dead body. Now the question Mrs. Fontaine wants answered is: who killed Brett. Samuel and Janet decide working together is the best way to get to the facts of this murder.

This remarkable series never disappoints. The mystery is always well conceived and executed. Even better is the author’s creation of Samuel, the first-person protagonist and narrator, who shares his thoughts and actions as they occur. As a result, readers have observed his growth in dealing with Asperger’s over the five novels and how that impacts those around him. Observing how individuals, both friends and strangers, react to Samuel is a compelling portrait of the challenges those with Asperger’s face. And Mr. Copperman’s ability to take readers inside the world of an individual living with Asperger’s Syndrome is truly a gift, for both the writer and the reader.

Samuel Hoening runs an agency called "Questions Answered." He likes to answer intricate questions and solve people's problems. But, one day, a woman walks into the office and asks the question, "Is mu husband having an affair with a dead woman?" Samuel is flummoxed because he does not believe in ghosts, so his partner, Ms. Janet Washburn, decides she will answer this question for the client. But it soon becomes clear, as the bodies begin to pile up, that something is afoot. Read this series for the well thought out plots and the manner in which the author presents Asberger's; he has a son who is on the spectrum, so he knows whereof he speaks.