Madison Murder, Ink.: Krapp's Last Cassette

In her third outing, Quinn, a menopausal Seattle PI who’s currently bedeviled more by hot flashes than by unsolved cases, is hired to prove the existence of Danny Timpkins, a 15-year-old with AIDS whose published story of surviving childhood sexual abuse has inspired millions and whose fragile condition keeps him isolated. Her client is Alex Krapp, a Hollywood screenwriter who has come to love Danny while communicating with him only by phone (and recording the calls on cassettes). Krapp is writing a screenplay based on Danny’s life, but when a Vanity Fair writer starts digging into whether Danny really exists, HBO wants proof before proceeding with the project. Quinn is dogged in finding answers, even when they aren’t the ones Krapp wants. Argula (pen name of Darryl Ponicsan) displays a sure, brisk style and a strong sense of place that should win fans for this appealing, quirky series.