Murder by the Book 1987

Mild-mannered mystery writer D. H. Mercer has become so immersed in his material that his creation, hard-boiled private eye Biff Deegan, constantly appears to him as a hallucination. Intent on getting rid of Biff, and replacing him with a more civilized detective, Mercer soon finds himself in a genuine mystery involving art fraud, murder, and a beautiful lady in peril.

Cast:

Robert Hays
D.H. 'Hank' Mercer / Biff Deegan 

Catherine Mary Stewart
Marissa 

Christopher Murney
Lt. Greenberg 

Fred Gwynne
Victor Greville 

Celeste Holm
Claire 

Jonathan Moore
Nicholas Rubinstein 

• Shadow Cop