“Saint Francis of Dogtown is back and this time an old Army buddy leads him to a cache of Hitler's personal effects that have been stored in a quirky museum in a small town in Illinois. Rottweilers, a voodoo priest and some Irish ballads come together for a fun read ... William Stage might never get an honorary degree from Saint Louis University, but he is the William Shakespeare of our town. Have a glass of Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey and start reading.”
"Stage is top of the game in both dialogue and humor ... a joy to read. Fun stuff, start to finish."
A Friend of King Neptune is a fun mystery novel with a healthy heaping of comic undertones that provide a generous portion of the entertainment. The path of the narrative is set early on with the hijinks that ensue when Dingus accompanies Francis on his daily grind as a process server in St. Louis. The story doesn’t deviate one iota as the friends briefly separate, with Dingus acting as an amateur sleuth and Francis dodging a disgruntled individual whom he once served. Francis’ loyalty to Dingus is seen early and often in the book as he never ceases to stand up for him. The action is often accompanied by moments of levity and heart. Author Wm. Stage has written a fine book with a quirky pair that will win over the reader almost instantly.
Wm. Stage's latest novel, A Friend Of King Neptune, is a Herculean effort. Not in its length or scope, but in its subject. The author and longtime columnist has taken some inspiration from the epic myth, added a colorful cast of characters, and dropped it into St. Louis and Souithern Illinos for a story that's both exciting and familiar ...
