I think I liked the first one better, though this one was good. The premise, and series name, sound more twee and cutesy than the stories themselves are, though it's definitely cozy fare. Kay is an agent to animals used in the entertainment industry, mostly because she's from an acting family, loves animals and couldn't stomach being a vet.

The plot of this one was ... out there. But here's the thing, and I don't know if I'm going to explain this correctly: the premise was one that could have been believable, just.

A famous TV actor hires a hitman to kill ... himself. He's depressed, battling addictions, hates his job, his life, etc. but either doesn't have the courage to do the killing himself, or wants to go out making a statement about the need for gun control - the book never really cleared that up.

I mean, stranger things have happened. But Copperman further complicated what was already a weird plot by adding layers of crimes and criminals. It's my feeling that he took an already weird plot and twisted it up to make it weirder when it didn't need to be.

And now what will look like something of a non sequitur but will make sense in a second, when I was at Bouchercon, my sister and I sat in on a panel that E.J. Copperman was on, and he kept talking about how he writes humorous cozies, like Donna Andrews. My sister and I were sitting at the back, so we could swap comments, sotto voce, and I said to her that I'd read most of his books and I didn't remember any of them being funny. Not that the jokes fell flat, but that I didn't remember there being any attempt at all to make them.

This is the first of his books I've read since Bouchercon, and now I see what he's talking about, and now I can say they're there, they just (mostly) fall flat. In fact, he seems to be going for a wiseass voice throughout most of the book, and it's either too heavy, or it's a NYC style of humor I fail to get, in a way that is similar to some people not getting British humor. It didn't ruin the book at all, but it became cloying at times.

I wouldn't say 'no' to a third book - I like the parts of the story where Kay is interacting with clients and their owners, and the scenes at her office feel balanced and witty. But I'm not sure if I'll rush out to get it - and it'll probably be in paperback. ( )

I admit right off the bat, I'm not a big fan of mysteries, but the premise that a talking parrot was the only witness to a murder intrigued me. There are plenty of twists and turns and danger to the amateur sleuth to satisfy mystery fans. I read it after recently reading A Gentleman in Moscow- a superior read, so perhaps it just paled in comparison. However, in the end, I was just a little confused about the denouement, so I gave it just 2 1/2 stars. ( )

This is the second in Copperman’s series featuring Kay Powell, a talent agent for animals NYC. In this outing, Kay’s client, Barney the yellow parrot, has a bit role in a new TV show, Dead City. When Barney’s day ends, Kay is called to the nearby set of another client. When she returns to Barney’s set to find Dead City’s star has been killed and Barney is the only witness. The lead detective on the case believes that Barney can tell him what happened and who the perp is. He doesn’t believe Kay when she tells him it takes hours of repetition for Barney to learn a new word or phrase. Barney is not helping because he said “Drop the gun” in front of the detective.

Cooperman unfolds his story slowly, very slowly. Throughout the book there is little tension as he moves his story toward finding out who murdered the star. The murder seems to take a back street to Kay’s parents’ retiring after a disastrous gig on a cruise ship, to her assistant’s desire to be an agent to animals, and various other detours. That being said some of the animal characters, like the parrot and Kay’s shy and retiring mastiff, almost steal the book away from the murder and Kay.

TV-film-industry, law-enforcement, lawyers, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, actors, snark-fest, situational-humor, verbal-humor, murder, dogs, pets *****

This excellent mystery is also a royal snarkfest! Kay is an agent for animals in the TV/film industry, but she was a stage actress with her parents until she went to college and eventually got her law degree and passed the Bar. Her current client is an Amazon Yellow Parrot who became the only witness to the murder of a popular actor who plays the ME named Banacek. Some of the other characters are Mannix, Colombo, and Barnaby. Seeing a pattern here? Her home is in New Jersey and the sets are in NYC, the parents are between gigs and staying with her as are her Tibetan mastiff the size of a Volkswagon, a hyperactive greyhound mix, and a stealth dachshund. The humor is nonstop, the detective assigned to the case is smarter than a fifth grader, and the plot twists and red herrings are totally surprising. Absolutely loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )