FIRST AVON PRINTING, April 1979 mass market paperback, William L. DeAndrea (The Werewolf Murders). Cobb’s no stranger to following mysterious orders, so when he receives a telephone call asking him to visit a hotel room he obliges. The invitation, however, means a dead body, a sharp blow to the head, and suspicion from the police that he committed the crime. And while one of the detectives put on the case has known Cobb since he was a child, the other is convinced of his guilt. Can Cobb stay on point when the stakes are so high? Can he find the real killer and persuade the police of his innocence? And what do television ratings have to do with it all?

Matt Cobb scrambles to save a celebrity event turned upside down by robbery and murder Matt Cobb may not be a detective by trade, but there are times when he sure feels like one. As the VP of special projects for a television conglomerate, Cobb is an expert at getting the network out of tricky situations. Now his company is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with a weekend-long extravaganza, flying in dozens of celebrities for a prime-time party. And as the event approaches, egos flare, nerves fray, and someone sabotages the studio. First a reporter drowns in a TV star’s pool. Then an actress’s bowling ball—her lucky talisman—is stolen, and some important kinescopes disappear. As the body count climbs, Cobb finds himself asking if these strange events are connected, and if so, who is behind them?

Returning to the quiet, upstate New York town that is the home of his alma mater and the location of the wedding of a pair of old friends, network troubleshooter Matt Cobb finds himself up against murder

TV troubleshooter Matt Cobb seeks the murderer who first strikes an eminent psychiatrist during a television taping and then stalks an Olympic figure skater

When a real-life mystery surfaces during a mystery cruise, troubleshooter Matt Cobb's investigation takes him—and his two attractive companions—amongst an odd assortment of mystery writers

To finalize a takeover of the network where Matt Cobb works, weekend meetings are held at an eccentric millionaire's mansion. When the host is suddenly murdered, it's up to Cobb to solve the baffling, old-fashioned case. "Ingeniously worked out . . . a blast from the past".—Kirkus Reviews.

Matt Cobb, TV network vice president in change of special programming, finds himself lethally involved in a new mystery when his network's most popular talk-show host is suddenly murdered. By the author of Killed in the Ratings.

Matt Cobb's job as vice-president of special projects is a strange one. All of the network's problems end up on his desk. Over the past few years, these problems have included everything from dealing with murder and mayhem to making sure that the right person is picked up at the right time by the right car. After years of dealing with this as well as with the eccentric and arrogant personalities that only the world of network television could produce, Matt Cobb has had it. He's decided to call it quits. Unfortunately, Tom Falzet, president of the network, simply can't allow one of his key associates to leave - at least not permanently. Especially since, in addition to all the work he does, Matt also happens to be engaged to one of the network's principal stockholders. So, by way of compromise, Matt is convinced to take an extended leave of absence. He, the beautiful Roxanne, and their dog Spot pack their bags and move to a splendid house in London where Matt seems sure to be able to escape the pressures and tensions of big-time media security. But for Matt, life is never that easy. And, of course, his plans for a life of leisure go out the window. First the executives of TVStrato, a London network affiliate, assume that Matt's been sent across the pond to keep an eye on them during a time of great change. That means they greet him with all the enthusiasm that the Brits have always showed invaders. Once they realize that Matt is not there to spy on them, they decide that maybe he can help solve some of their security problems. Lady Pamela Arking, the president of TVStrato, asks Cobb to take care of just one simple matter (for old times' sake). His to deliver an envelope to an associate outside of the local Planet Hollywood. However, seconds after Cobb makes the delivery, shots ring out and Cobb finds himself in jail for murder. And with no support from the locals, it's a race against time for Cobb to clear his name. It's a race so tense and dangerous that before it's done, Matt will be yearning for his old job back in the States.