An eye for the ladies

"An Eye for the Ladies" by Stephen Marlowe is a mid-century science fiction novel that mixes detective work with interplanetary absurdity. The novel centers around a private investigator hired by an alien named Xlptl, whose wife has gone missing after assuming a human identity on Earth. The private investigator, Jack Brody, undertakes a bizarre mission that involves temporarily inhabiting the bodies of husbands to track down the missing Mrs. Xlptl. As Brody jumps from one man to another, from a boxer to a groom, he finds himself in increasingly funny and awkward scenarios, all while trying to solve the mystery and reunite the alien couple. This humorous and action-packed story uses themes of identity and transformation within a science fiction setting, creating a playful and strange adventure.