Michelangelo Rezo is a mystery novelist.
Background[]
Rezo grew up in a rough neighborhood. As an adult, he's the author of a popular series of mystery novels about Winwood Baines, a brilliant detective who avoids violence. Nearly everyone in San Pueblo High School has read one of his books.
On the series[]
Rezo gives a speech and book signing in San Pueblo. Afterwards, he talks to the Partridges. Keith Partridge, trying to pay him a compliment, tells him his books are "pure fantasy" and "better than James Bond." Rezo is offended because he thinks James Bond is vulgar sensationalism. To prove that his books are realistic and that a detective really could be that good at tracking people down, Rezo challenges the Partridges, along with Reuben Kincaid, to a bet: if they can avoid him for twenty-four hours, he'll donate $25,000 to a charity of their choice. Unbeknownst to them, he plants a bug in their car. Once the contest starts, he and Lazaar Hamilton listen in on their conversation and follows to their house, then to the park (where he almost catches the Partridges thanks to a group of screaming fans, until Shirley Partridge convinces the fans that Rezo is Mick Jagger in disguise). Shirley decides to drop off Chris and Tracy Partridge at Mrs. Monahan's house so they can get a good night's sleep. Five minutes later, Rezo goes to Mrs. Monahan's house and tells Chris and Tracy a bedtime story. Then he follows the older Partridges to Muldoon's Point, where Reuben Kincaid causes a traffic jam by yelling "I know my daughter's here someplace, and I'm going to find her!" which buys the Partridges time to escape. Rezo continues to follow them to the bowling alley, the laundromat, the hotel, and an all-night movie. Then he hears them saying that they're going to Chronos Caverns, a landmark miles out of town. Rezo and Lazaar head for the caverns, but the signal gets weaker the farther they get from San Pueblo. Rezo realizes that the Partridges have figured out they're being bugged, so he and Lazaar head to the Partridge house, where they find everyone five minutes before they run out of time. Rezo lets the Partridges think they beat him by hiding Chris and Tracy and doesn't mention that he found them, too. He donates $25,000 to the San Pueblo Children's Home, where the Partridge Family gives a benefit concert and performs Storybook Love.