The characters are still interesting, but this second book doesn't shine quite like the first. The protagonist's personality and unique narration are enough to make any question he tackles intriguing to readers, which makes it all the less necessary to have as convoluted and complex a plot as this. Some key points--false identities and fraud, for example-- were too similar to the previous book's plot points.

Note: I received a digital ARC through NetGalley. ( )

Samuel Hoenig, a man with Asperger's, runs "Questions Answered" a detective agency of sorts. He makes it clear that he is not a detective but an investigator and all he does is answers questions.

A woman comes in and tells Samuel that she has woken up to find an "unfamiliar" man in her bed, who claims to be her husband.... Her husband shows their a marriage certificate as proof, but she is unable to remember anything that happened between her arriving at a party and waking up and finding him in bed with her three days later.

Her questions are: "Who is the man/Is she really married?"

Later that day, the husband comes in and threatens Samuel, telling him to call off his investigation.

A few days later, the same woman calls Samuel frantic, saying that her husband has turned violent and she has locked herself in her bathroom and needs his help. Samuel and his associate Mrs. Washburn go to the apartment only to find no sign of the husband, odd traces of blood. When he questions the woman she flees, calling the police setting both Samuel & Mrs. Washburn up for attempted burglary.

After Samuel & Mrs. Washburn are released they go back to Samuel's office "Questions Answered" and find the husband sprawled out, dead on the floor with his throat slit.

As Samuel & Mrs. Washburn continue their investigation they find that the man was a serial monogamist (one who continually falls in love & marries; falls in love with another, divorces, marries; falls in love with still another, divorces...) and has had no less than 5 wives who have formed a sort of support group and all have reasons for wanting him dead....

As the investigation continues, Samuel & Mrs. Washburn come across the body of the woman who originally hired them, and the questions arise: "How is she different from the other wives?" "Why was she murdered?"

The only thing I do not understand and I find "off" is that there is usually one detective that admits to his inability to solve the case and will ask Samuel for help.

I liked the premise of the story, I like Samuel & Mrs. Washburn, but at times Samuel's idiosyncratic narration got to be a bit much for me, so I tended to skip over it. Still his thought process & power of logical deduction is quite interesting. ( )

Another winner from E.J. Copperman/Jeff Cohen! A woman shows up in Samuel's office with a very unusual question: she says there is a man living with her who claims to be her husband. The problem is, she has no recollection of marrying this man. Samuel figures answering the question of whether or not this man is her husband should be easy enough, but the case takes a strange turn when he and his associate Janet Washburn are arrested and the husband is then found dead in his office. Lots of twists and turns and great characters. ( )

Copperman and Cohen shine again in this second in a series. Sometimes the second book is a bit of a let down, but not this book. Samuel Honig is asked a question about "the man who calls himself my husband". A man she denies knowing or willingly marrying. Samuel reaches out to Janet Washburn for assistance on this case and she returns to the business to help him solve this convoluted and interesting 'question'.

The pair of authors don't write this series fast enough for me, but since Copperman is also writing another series, I'll cut them some slack.

For anyone who has wondered what Asperger's looks and sounds like, this series will give you an inside look at the strengths and weaknesses of someone who falls into this section of the autism spectrum. So well done that unless Samuel tells the reader you might miss some of the indicators of his distress or happiness.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes a good mystery and a different type of protagonist. ( )

Jeff Cohen ups the ante in his second Asperger's mystery featuring Samuel Hoenig. While enlightening for those readers unacquainted with people who have Asperger's, The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband is a truly enjoyable read with many laugh-out-loud moments and a devilishly clever mystery to solve.

In the first book, The Question of the Missing Head, Samuel was seemingly obsessed with his timetable for exercise, and I have to admit that I was a bit worried that his persistence would carry over to this second book. Too much of a good thing is... too much. But Cohen is too smart for that. Yes, Samuel gets some exercise in this book, but now his main concern is vehicular safety, and I spent my time either being amused at his behavior... or agreeing with him.

Once again, I am impressed with the parenting skills of Samuel's mother. The type of support "Aspies" get at home is crucial in how well they fit into society. Samuel's mother is a strong and very wise woman, and I admire her-- as I do the other woman in Samuel's life, Janet Washburn. Janet enjoys a good challenge, which is why she enjoys working with Samuel and his "questions" so much, and it's her calm demeanor and quick thinking that makes them such a good team. If you're going to be the sidekick, be the best, and Janet is. I like her so much that I hope she takes center stage in a future book.

The solution to this clever mystery depends on so many things. Planted clues. A knowledge of Christie. A coincidence. And not blindly following accepted beliefs about certain groups of people. The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband certainly kept me smiling and guessing.

One of Samuel's endearing traits is his insistence that he can tell a lot about a person by that person's favorite Beatles song. I wonder what he would tell me if I let him know that mine is "In My Life"?

Samuel, his mother, and Janet have certainly worked themselves into my heart, and I look forward to their next adventure with a great deal of anticipation. ( )