Dead Pan: A Jocelyn O'Roarke Mystery

Jocelyn O'Roarke #4

by Jane Dentinger

Actress/sleuth O'Roarke goes Hollywood and finds herself embroiled in a made-for-TV murder in this new mystery from the author of Murder on Cue. "Dentinger fills her books with show business lore and a marvelous theatrical savvy."--Howard Kissel, New York Daily News.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Jane Dentinger was born and raised in Rochester, New York. She graduated magna cum laude from Ithaca College with a BFA in theatre, then moved to Manhattan, where she still resides. After making her stage debut in Joe Papp’s production of Pericles at the Delacorte Theatre, she acted off Broadway in All My Sons at the Roundabout Theatre and in Jack Heifner’s Vanities for ages.

By the time Vanities finally closed, there were a lot of people she wanted to kill, and hence, she wrote her debut mystery, Murder on Cue, on a grant of sorts from the New York State Department of Labor. It was the first of six novels featuring actress Jocelyn O’Roarke, whom the New Yorker dubbed “an artsy Philip Marlowe.”

While writing her novels, Dentinger managed Murder Ink, a preeminent mystery bookstore in New York City, for eight years. In October of 1999, Dentinger became senior editor of the Mystery Guild Book Club. In 2005, she was made editor in chief, a position she held until December, 2013.

Reviews

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Pan is the fourth book in a series. Josh O'Roarke is a stage Actress unfortunately jobs have dried up for her in New York. She has ended her relationship with Nypd Let Phillip Gerard. So when her friend offers her a job in a Hollywood T.V Movie and a place to stay she jumps at the chance. But once there on the West coast she discovers her role is to support the Washed -up Child Star Ginger Jellicoe's come back attempt. When Buddy Banks the production Director and Ginger's surrogate Father is murdered in a dark room. Josh has to put her sleuthing skills to use once again .With the help of Det Dwayne Hamill Josh races to clear Ginger's name and to prevent her from becoming the killers next victim. I haven't read any of the previous books but if you enjoy a good mystery i highly recommend you read Dead Pan

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay... but it took me some time to become engaged with this, the fourth book in the series.

For some reason, the arch banter of the theatrical characters in the earlier books was more believable than that of the film folk here. Not sure if it's because the Hollywood types are less interesting to me than the theater types, or if I've been reading the series too quickly and am burning out on the incessant quips (which often take the place of actual characterization).

It did pick up speed about halfway through. But I preferred Jocelyn's New York relationships. I was happiest when her old liaisons made their brief appearances.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept getting the characters confused in the being. Going to work in LA on a television movie Jocelyn, Josh or O'Roarke or what ever name she is called, brings the east coast to the west coast with many movie quips thrown in.

[Allyson Dyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joss is a stage actress who came out west to act in a made for TV movie for an old friend who had written the script.

She has no delusions that her primary mission to keep the erstwhile child star now all grown up, divorced, with a child and having beat a drug addiction on the straight and narrow. (For what it's worth, the movie they are starring in doesn't sound all that interesting, more like a Hallmark movie.)

I will warn you now, this is a long book that took me quite a while to finish, but it was a great book; one that prompted me to look at purchasing other books in the series. I learned a lot about movie making; the behind the scenes look at the process was great.

This is definitely a series I will be reading more of in the future (already have another book since it was on sale) and I recommend at least this book, hopefully, I'll be able to recommend the series.

I give this book a solid 4.5 paws -- well worth reading, especially if you enjoy the behind the scenes of the creative process.

[Cece · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh. From Broadway stereotypes (fun, witty) to Hollywood (self-absorbed, nasty) stereotypes. There are a couple more in the series, and I plan to acquire and read them, but if the series were being published now, I would not be haunting the bookshop for the newest. I just hope we move back East.

[Monica]

This book had my name in it!!!