The Sirena Quest

Equal parts rollicking adventure, existential and spiritual quest, and coming-of-(middle)-age tale, this stand-alone set in 1994 from Kahn includes a cameo appearance from series lead Rachel Gold (Face Value, etc.). A wealthy alumnus of Barrett, a prestigious New England college, has challenged graduates to locate the statue of a beautiful woman, Sirena, that’s been missing from the campus for 35 years before Barrett’s upcoming 150th anniversary ceremonies. If the statue is returned, $23 million goes to the college and $2 million goes to its rescuers. St. Louis lawyer and widower Lou Solomon, as his 20th class reunion looms, agrees to join the quest—and begins a haphazard and, at times illegal, cross-country mission with his three former roomies that is both deeply nostalgic and profoundly transformative. This heartwarming misadventure isn’t so much about four middle-aged men finding a statue as about finding themselves. (Jan.)