Bird, Bath, & Beyond

August 1, 2018
An animal talent agent's patience is sorely tried when the police eye one of her clients as a murder witness.In her years representing furred, feathered, and finned television and movie actors, Kay Powell (Dog Dish of Doom, 2017) has honed her ability to explain to showbiz folks the limits of the animals' skills. She tells the cast and crew of Dead City, a zombie crime drama set in New York, approximately a bazillion times that her latest client, a parrot named Barney, can't really have a conversation--he can only repeat back phrases he's been taught. But when Dray Mattone, who plays likable medical examiner Dr. Banacek, is shot while Barney is visiting his trailer, even NYPD detective Joe Bostwick seems to believe that the bird can give him information about who committed the crime. And to Kay's astonishment, Barney does spontaneously generate phrases like "Put down the gun!" that make her wonder if he really does have information to share with police. Of course, his outbursts aren't all that different from those of the mysterious woman who interrupts Dray's onstage memorial service to accuse showrunner Les Mannix of killing his leading man before disappearing from the set. For a while, it's a toss-up who'll end up in the slammer--the bird, the babe, or both--until quick-witted Kay unravels the mystery of who killed the star of a show about the undead.A second sharp outing for Copperman's pitch-perfect heroine.

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August 13, 2018
In Copperman’s charming second Agent to the Paws mystery (after 2017’s Dog Dish of Doom), Amazon parrot Barney, who acts on a zombie-themed TV show shooting in Manhattan, is the sole witness to the murder of star Dray Mattone in his trailer. Animal talent agent Kay Powell insists that Barney can only repeat phrases after lengthy training, but the parrot’s tendency to blurt incriminating snippets around the lead detective suggests that the bird can help solve the case. Meanwhile, Barney’s trainer is hiding her own secrets. Fans of the series debut will enjoy catching up with Kay, her showbiz-duo parents, potential love interest Sam Gibson, and a lively supporting cast of nonhuman clients and pets. A subplot involving the desire of office manager Consuelo, Kay’s assistant, to represent her own animal clients adds humor. Never mind the implausibility of the eventual solution, animal lovers and cozy readers should savor this romp through the world of animal acting and television production. Agent: Josh Getzler, Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency.

Starred review from October 1, 2018

Kay Powell is a talent agent for animals. She usually doesn't accompany her clients to the set, but Patty Basilico, owner and trainer of the parrot Barney, is sick, so Kay takes Barney for his part in the television show Dead City. When Barney's needed after the break, Kay leaves him in Dray Mattone's trailer. Within an hour, Mattone has been shot and killed in his trailer, with Barney as the only witness. Now everyone, from the police to the news media, thinks someone saw the murder--a parrot. Kay can't convince the police that Barney can't tell them what they want to know; he only repeats phrases he's been taught. To protect her client, she finds herself working with the police. This suspenseful, cozy mystery features a likable, well-developed amateur sleuth. Sometimes, though, she seems to be the only mature adult in an irreverent, humorous story set in the world of show business. VERDICT Copperman follows the enjoyable Dog Dish of Doom with a second delightful, witty story. Readers who appreciate Miranda James's mysteries will savor this fun cozy.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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