Say what?
Does Stephen get whats-her-name to marry him?
Here’s a Wiki article on the 21st Aubrey-Maturin book. It includes a plot summary.
Nitpick: “Candyland” wasn’t an 87th Precient mystery. It was set in real New York City the weekend of JFK Jr’s death. There’s also “Downtown,” easily the best of the non-87th McBains, set in NYC over Xmas time.
In an email to me about a year before his death, Ed wrote he was planning on finishing the series and writing “EXIT.” Alas, it didn’t happen. 
He also told me he liked my idea of a movies series of The Deaf Man mysteries, starring Leo DiCaprio as TDM. That’s an e-mail I cherish!
David Gemmell died in the middle of the final book of his Troy series. His wife finished the book using his notes.
The same thing happened with James Blish and his Star Trek novelizations. The last book (Mudd’s Women , which contained the Harry Mudd episodes and one otriginal story) was written entirely by his wife.
Actually, the last Aubrey-Maturin book is somewhat challenging to follow, both because of the non-chronological structure and the fact that it’s told in the first person, alternating between the point-of-view of a retarded sailor on the Surprise, and a neurotic and unreliable 20th century historian, telling the story to his children as his marriage falls apart.
However, we find out that Aubrey has actually been all along a French agent, cleverly hiding his activities beneath the disguise of a somewhat dim Englishman, so he can spy on Maturin (Ironically, Maturin was also a double-agent from a different French intelligence agency). It’s also revealed that Stephen lived apart from Diana because he was carrying on a sado-masochistic affair with Sophie, and is in fact the father of Aubrey’s purported children. Only a few chapters in to the book Maturin stumbles onto the proof of Aubrey’s true loyalties; while Stephen is too dim to realize what it means, Aubrey nevertheless invites Maturin to his house, and feeds him poisoned coffee. Unfortunately for Aubrey, he begins gloating too soon, telling Maturin that Jack has sent the Surprise into a French trap, carrying Sophie and the children, who were lost with all hands. Stephen goes into a murderous rage and beats Jack to death with the pommel of Jack’s own sword before setting fire to the cottage and dying. The remaining majority of the book is a combination of blank pages and a direct rant from the author, veering from a close Marxist analysis of the exploitation inherent in 18th century English society to frankly pornographic fantasies involving 20th century world leaders.
Why, what did you think would happen? Everything would end more or less happily?
You got it right, save for the setting being the nineteenth century. 
Beware what you ask for: Dune fans received Brian Herbert after his pop passed away.
It’s nice when an author leaves notes while he’s still around. Example: Lawerence Watt-Evans.
Which was likey one single line “Drag the series out as long as the suckers will pay.” :rolleyes:
He’s lying. :rolleyes: