Dog Dish of Doom

May 29, 2017
At the start of this nifty series launch from Copperman (Edited Out), animal talent agent Kay Powell is at an audition. Her client, fluffy, keen Bruno, looks likely to be cast as Sandy in famed director Les McMaster’s Broadway production of Annie. But the dog’s owners, Trent and Louise Barclay, so act up at the audition that McMaster bars them from the Palace Theater. That night, Trent is stabbed and dies face down in Bruno’s bowl. Kay lives in fictional, idyllic Scarborough, N.J., though that doesn’t stop the NYPD’s Det. Alana Rodriguez from knocking on the door and grilling her. Worse, Kay’s lovable, annoying actor parents, El and Jay, push her to play sleuth with them as sidekicks. Readers will root for Kay to be more than pals with Sam Gibson, proprietor of Cool Beans coffee house—and, of course, to keep Bruno as more than a client. Resilient, warm, funny supporting players more than make up for the stock villains. Agent: Josh Getzler, Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency.

June 15, 2017
Copperman (Written Off, 2016, etc.) adds yet another franchise to his growing resume when he introduces Kay Powell, "Agent to the Paws."Having broken her showbiz parents' hearts by leaving the three-person family act to go to law school, Kay discovers that she hasn't much of a taste for litigation after all. But she knows how to write up a solid contract. She's at home with theater folks. And she likes animals--better than people, truth be told. So why not earn a living representing the cats, dogs, and occasional macaw who star in movies, TV commercials, and even Broadway plays? She understands that animals' stage parents can be pushy. But nothing prepares her for Trent Barclay, whose dog, Bruno, would be perfect to play Sandy in Les McMaster's production of Annie, if Trent hadn't just accused Les of being an untalented hack. Before Kay can write a contract hiring Bruno but barring Trent and his wife, Louise, from going backstage, Trent's found in his kitchen with a knife in his back and his nose in Bruno's water dish. NYPD detective Alana Rodriguez wants Kay to help her figure out who hated Trent enough to want him dead. Worse yet, Bruno keeps disappearing only to turn up minutes, hours, or days later. Whether it's the thought of a pooch in peril or her own talent for sleuthing that puts her in gear, once Kay gets started, she goes after the culprit like a dog after a bone. The wry, feisty heroine is a welcome addition to Copperman's troupe. It's only to be hoped that he'll save some ink for his sleuthing mystery author or, especially, his autistic detective.

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July 1, 2017
Kay Powell is a theatrical agent specializing in animal actors, and her new client, Bruno, is about to get his big breakreplacing the dog currently playing Sandy in the Broadway musical Annie. However, director Les McMaster only agrees to cast Bruno if his rather obnoxious owner, Trent Barclay, is not present during rehearsals and shows, angering Barclay. When Barclay is found stabbed to death, with his face in Bruno's water bowl, the show must go on, so with his widow Louise's permission, Kay brings Bruno to the theater. Meanwhile, Detective Alana Rodriguez of the NYPD, who is investigating Barclay's murder, asks Kay to listen to the theater gossip and share any pertinent information. Soon Louise accuses Kay of dognapping, and Bruno disappears. Well-drawn characters, including a heroine who talks directly to the reader, and effectively framed with details of the theater enhance this humorous cozy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

Starred review from July 1, 2017

If Kay Powell could only work with her clients, she'd be happy--but their owners tend to get in the way. As an agent for animal performers, she's found the perfect dog to take over the role of Sandy in the musical Annie. During the tryout, Bruno's owner Trent Barclay argues with the show's director, who hires Bruno with the stipulation that Trent isn't allowed in the theater. But then Trent's wife finds him face down in Bruno's dog dish with a knife in his back. Now that Bruno has the job, though, there are multiple attempts to abduct him. While a brusque homicide detective investigates Trent's murder, Kay and her showbiz parents focus on the important issue: How can the show go on when Kay has to hide Bruno to keep him safe? This hilarious romp through the world of show business is cast with outrageously funny characters, including Kay's father, an aging actor determined to play detective. VERDICT Admirers of old comedy sketches and anyone looking for a laugh-out-loud mystery should pick up this series launch by Copperman (Edited Out).--LH

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