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An Agent to the Paws Mystery #1
Dog Dish of Doom: A Mystery
Cozy fans and animal lovers alike won't be able to keep their paws off Dog Dish of Doom. Laugh-out-loud funny, E.J. Copperman's series debut is "lots of fun" (Library Journal, starred). Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she’s found His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day.Kay is the Agent to the Paws, representing showbiz clients who aren’t exactly people. In they're dogs. Bruno’s humans, Trent and Louise, are pains in the you-know-what, and Les McMaster, the famous director mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can’t stand them.This becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno’s water dish, with a kitchen knife in his back. Kay’s perfectly fine to let the NYPD handle the murder, but when the whole plot seems to center on Bruno, her protective instincts come into play. You can kill any people you want, but you’d better leave Kay’s clients alone.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2017
80 people are currently reading
723 people want to read
About the author
E.J. Copperman
34 books840 followersLibrarian note: E.J. Copperman is the pen name for author
Jeff Cohen
E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It will be followed in 2011 by An Uninvited Ghost, the second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.
E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large doses of Jersey attitude.
Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist, now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.
E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It will be followed in 2011 by An Uninvited Ghost, the second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.
E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large doses of Jersey attitude.
Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist, now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
March 28, 2023
In this first book in 'An Agent to the Paws' cozy mystery series, an unpleasant loudmouth is murdered.
*****
When famous Broadway director Les McMaster is auditioning dogs for the role of Sandy in 'Annie', Kay Powell - a talent agent for animals - has just the pooch for the job.
Her client Bruno, a shaggy brown dog who looks like a hairy ottoman - is friendly, follows directions, and can cry on demand. Bruno is having a fine tryout - and would be a shoo-in for the job - if only his owner would shut his mouth.
Trent Barclay and his wife Louise adopted Bruno from a shelter, trained him, and have plans for his show business career. Trent - an obnoxious loudmouth who thinks he knows best - interrupts Bruno's audition, calls McMaster a hack, and says he's a bad director.
Thus, when Bruno gets the job his contract states that Trent and Louise can't attend Bruno's rehearsals. Kay doesn't mind since she'd just as soon handle Bruno's career herself - and has the experience to do it. Kay's parents, Jay and El, were performers at a Catskill resort - and Kay joined their act when she was four (Jay, Kay, and El.....get it. LOL) . Kay sang, danced, and did skits with her parents until she went off to college.
Kay then went to law school to learn about contracts, and started her career as an animal agent. Meanwhile, Jay and El took their act onto cruise ships, where they traveled and had fun while getting paid.
Jay and El are between gigs right now, and staying at Kay's house in Scarborough, N.J. To pass the time, Jay is producing a revue for the Scarborough Senior Center, and he and his wife are auditioning the elderly talent in Kay's living room. This is pretty hilarious.
To add to the foofaraw at Kay's place are her two dogs, Steve the dachshund and Eydie, the rescue greyhound - both of whom have big, endearing personalities....and a fondness for liver treats.
The day after Bruno's audition, Kay wakes up to shocking news. Trent Barclay has been found stabbed to death in his kitchen - with his face in Bruno's water bowl. Detective Alana Rodriguez of the NYPD - who's so stiff 'you couldn't get her to move a facial muscle without dynamite' - shows up at Kay's house to ask about the kerfuffle during Bruno's tryout.
Before long Lt. Rodriguez recruits Kay - asking the agent to sniff around the theater people and report anything suspicious. Rodriguez actually gets a 'threefer', because Jay and El want to be amateur sleuths as well. The trio of Powells get up to all kinds of mischief while they're investigating (can you say breaking and entering).
As the murderer is being sought, odd things start to happen. People keep trying to abduct Bruno.....and Kay gets threatening messages to hand over the dog. The agent has no intention of losing her client, and there's some desperate behavior on the part of Bruno's would-be abductors. Bruno gets to spend some time at Kay's house, where he becomes best friends with Steve and is (mostly) ignored by haughty Eydie.
Many secrets come to light before the murderer is exposed in a dramatic climax where Bruno shows his mettle.
The book is chock full of humorous scenes and zingy remarks that made me laugh. There's also an array of interesting characters, including:
- Sam Gibson, the owner of Cool Beans Coffee Shop. This potential romantic interest for Kay gives her free coffee and muffins, helpful advice, and dog-walking assistance when needed.
-Akra Levy, Les's ubiquitous assistant. Akra seemed to be 'seven hundred clones' because she's everywhere Les needs all the time - clipboard in hand.
-Consuelo, Kay's 'manager/assistant/entire staff' - who organizes Kay within an inch of her life. Consuelo is angling to be an animal agent herself.
-Diego (Dee), Consuelo's 22-year-old son, whose common sense provides vital clues to the mysteries in the story.
-Maisie, a macaw Kay took in lieu of payment. Maisie - 'a diva and a brat' - resides in Kay's office, and wants everyone to go away and leave her alone.
One of my favorite lines in the book is when Consuelo tells Kay, "You have an appointment with that parakeet at eleven-thirty, then a phone call with the bear cub and a callback for the calico cat." Ha ha ha
I enjoyed this well-written, cozy mystery and highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (E.J. Copperman) and the publisher (St. Martin's Press) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
July 27, 2024
Our local libraries have book sales every year and I try my best to pick up some books that I wouldn't normally grab in my hunt that sound like my types of books. It normally works out really well for me and I find a bunch of new authors I have to hunt down. This was one of them!
I did the whole "judge a book by it's cover" thing and I was like... Dogs... Yes. This sounds fun. Dog Dish of Doom ended up being quite the fun cozy mystery and I want to read more by E.J. Copperman now, even though there aren't a ton of books in this series. Which is a real shame, because I really liked this one.
Having our lead be an agent for dog actors was one of the funnier things about this book and I have to say... I've yet to read a book with a lead like that. Throw in a mystery on why this dog is so darn popular, and you've got a fun read. There's some stakes in there but they aren't terrifying. I love a nice cozy mystery, they make it so I can just read and enjoy myself.
Four out of five stars.
I did the whole "judge a book by it's cover" thing and I was like... Dogs... Yes. This sounds fun. Dog Dish of Doom ended up being quite the fun cozy mystery and I want to read more by E.J. Copperman now, even though there aren't a ton of books in this series. Which is a real shame, because I really liked this one.
Having our lead be an agent for dog actors was one of the funnier things about this book and I have to say... I've yet to read a book with a lead like that. Throw in a mystery on why this dog is so darn popular, and you've got a fun read. There's some stakes in there but they aren't terrifying. I love a nice cozy mystery, they make it so I can just read and enjoy myself.
Four out of five stars.
August 20, 2017
Kay Powell is a theatrical agent representing animal actors. Her biggest client is Bruno, an intelligent and talented dog. His owners, however, leave much to be desired. They are annoying. Irritating enough that Broadway Director, Les McMaster, wants it written into the dog's contract that he doesn't have to deal with Trent and Louise. Just as Kay is feeling optimistic that Bruno will be cast as Sandy in the new revival of Annie, his owner Trent is murdered. His body is discovered face-down in Bruno's dog dish with a rather large knife sticking out of his back. Between her parents holding auditions for a senior citizen center show in her living room and a client's owner dead in a water bowl, Kay is not having the best week. When it appears that Bruno might be somehow central to the motive for the killing, Kay steps in to investigate, with the help of her parents (despite her vehement objections to their involvement, of course).
This book is a great blend of humor and light-hearted, cozy mystery. I absolutely adore Kay's parents. They are hilarious and really add to the flavor of the book. Kay is a great main character. She's funny, intelligent, and manages to handle chaos quite well. I guess you have to handle chaos if you represent animal actors!
This is a great start to a new series! Dog Dish of Doom is definitely full of E.J. Copperman's usual wit and humor. I always end up laughing out loud when I read one of Copperman's books. Always an enjoyable story!
E.J. Copperman is a pen name of author Jeff Cohen. He is the author of several series, including the Haunted Guesthouse series and the Asperger's Mystery series (which Copperman/Cohen co-writes with himself -- yes, he co-authors a book with himself...love it!) For any reader who likes well-written, humorous mysteries, I recommend any of his books. For more information on the author, check out his website: http://www.ejcopperman.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
This book is a great blend of humor and light-hearted, cozy mystery. I absolutely adore Kay's parents. They are hilarious and really add to the flavor of the book. Kay is a great main character. She's funny, intelligent, and manages to handle chaos quite well. I guess you have to handle chaos if you represent animal actors!
This is a great start to a new series! Dog Dish of Doom is definitely full of E.J. Copperman's usual wit and humor. I always end up laughing out loud when I read one of Copperman's books. Always an enjoyable story!
E.J. Copperman is a pen name of author Jeff Cohen. He is the author of several series, including the Haunted Guesthouse series and the Asperger's Mystery series (which Copperman/Cohen co-writes with himself -- yes, he co-authors a book with himself...love it!) For any reader who likes well-written, humorous mysteries, I recommend any of his books. For more information on the author, check out his website: http://www.ejcopperman.com/
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
October 13, 2024
This was a cute cozy that I mostly enjoyed; there were just too many parts that made me roll my eyes and go "seriously", which can happen when you read as many cozies as I have.
I did like the main character and most of the peripheral players [though there seemed to be a lot of them and keeping everyone straight was a pain at times] and I would have liked her more if she had not reminded us of some of the same things over and over A N D O V E R again. I really tried to look past that as there were parts [and lines] that were seriously laugh-out-loud, but there [for me] were a lot of moment of just a ton of eye-rolls and not a ton of interest on my part. In fact, by the time I got to the end [which did seem to take quite awhile AFTER you hit the middle of the book, which says to me that the whole story could have easily been 50 pages less], I almost didn't care who committed the murder. I just needed the book to be done.
All that said, I would be willing to read the second one; there was enough good in this one to make me curious about a second book.
I have a friend that I buddy-read this with and she liked it way more than I did, so it really just may be preference. I guess we will find out if the author writes a second on in this series.
I did like the main character and most of the peripheral players [though there seemed to be a lot of them and keeping everyone straight was a pain at times] and I would have liked her more if she had not reminded us of some of the same things over and over A N D O V E R again. I really tried to look past that as there were parts [and lines] that were seriously laugh-out-loud, but there [for me] were a lot of moment of just a ton of eye-rolls and not a ton of interest on my part. In fact, by the time I got to the end [which did seem to take quite awhile AFTER you hit the middle of the book, which says to me that the whole story could have easily been 50 pages less], I almost didn't care who committed the murder. I just needed the book to be done.
All that said, I would be willing to read the second one; there was enough good in this one to make me curious about a second book.
I have a friend that I buddy-read this with and she liked it way more than I did, so it really just may be preference. I guess we will find out if the author writes a second on in this series.
July 3, 2017
I like author E.J. Copperman’s two other mystery series just fine: one featuring a guesthouse owner who finds herself haunted by two very different ghosts (which begins with Night of the Living Deed) and one featuring an autistic sleuth with an exceedingly patient female Watson (which begins with The Question of the Missing Head,). So when I discovered that Copperman was stepping out with Dog Dish of Doom, the debut in a series featuring a wisecracking talent agent who represents only animals, I couldn’t wait. I was fortunate enough that I was able to get an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.
I was enthralled! Agent Kay Powell has managed to land her fluffy brown client Bruno a plum job playing Sandy in an Annie Broadway revival; Bruno’s great, but his owner Trent Barclay? A nightmare! The day after the audition, Kay could just about kill him, but she can’t. Because he’s already dead, literally stabbed in the back and left with his face in Bruno’s water dish. Kay — assisted by her parents, Jay and Eleanor (aging cruise ship performers), Kay’s ever-efficient office manager Consuelo and Consuelo’s 22-year-old son Diego, a recent CCNY grad — seeks to protect Bruno and, incidentally, suss out Trent’s killer. Copperman has done a doggone good job.
I was enthralled! Agent Kay Powell has managed to land her fluffy brown client Bruno a plum job playing Sandy in an Annie Broadway revival; Bruno’s great, but his owner Trent Barclay? A nightmare! The day after the audition, Kay could just about kill him, but she can’t. Because he’s already dead, literally stabbed in the back and left with his face in Bruno’s water dish. Kay — assisted by her parents, Jay and Eleanor (aging cruise ship performers), Kay’s ever-efficient office manager Consuelo and Consuelo’s 22-year-old son Diego, a recent CCNY grad — seeks to protect Bruno and, incidentally, suss out Trent’s killer. Copperman has done a doggone good job.
October 17, 2017
Does it even count if you read the first third, discovered you couldn't stand any of the characters and then read the last thirty or less pages to find out who killed who and why? I love dogs, but the humans got in the way of me caring about the dogs. Even the heroine, who we are supposed to root for was flat for me. The sub plot about her parents' careers seemed somehow more sad than funny. There were a few times I laughed, but it wasn't enough to make me want to read the entire book. Sorry, E.J Copperman. Maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind.
September 20, 2017
Some funny bits, but overly contrived and somewhat tedious.
October 25, 2017
It was the title. It made me laugh and then I had to read the blurb which also pulled me in. I could tell this was going to be a fun, light-hearted mystery that wouldn't challenge me, but would entertain me highly. Dog Dish of Doom performed to expectation, for sure.
I have seen Angela from Simply Angela's blog reviews on a different cozy mystery series by this author so I was pleased to give Copperman's work a try in this new series start. What a fun theme for the series having the amateur detective being an animal entertainer agent. Kay is also accompanied in her efforts by her quirky show-biz parents, two rescue dogs, incomparable assistant Consuelo with son Diego, and potential flame and local coffee shop owner Sam.
Kay's an irascible and snarky, down to earth gal who is all about her animal clients even to the point of caring more about their well-being than their human owners or the humans they must work with. This story introduces her latest client, Bruno, who is up to co-star in an off-Broadway production of Annie.
The theater world was a neat backdrop for this mystery that had some nice twists. The story had two mysteries going on actually- the death of Trent and the malevolent interest in Bruno. It paced out slowly as Kay and the gang including a police detective followed the clues to a surprising end.
I listened to Dog Dish of Doom and enjoyed the talented narration of Christy Romano telling the story. This was not my first listen in with Christy. I enjoyed her work earlier this year. She's got a great wry, humorous tone that matched the story well.
In summary, this was vastly amusing and I can definitely recommend it to those who enjoy cozy mysteries. I definitely plan to read/listen to more of Copperman's work and this quirky fun series.
My thanks to Audible for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have seen Angela from Simply Angela's blog reviews on a different cozy mystery series by this author so I was pleased to give Copperman's work a try in this new series start. What a fun theme for the series having the amateur detective being an animal entertainer agent. Kay is also accompanied in her efforts by her quirky show-biz parents, two rescue dogs, incomparable assistant Consuelo with son Diego, and potential flame and local coffee shop owner Sam.
Kay's an irascible and snarky, down to earth gal who is all about her animal clients even to the point of caring more about their well-being than their human owners or the humans they must work with. This story introduces her latest client, Bruno, who is up to co-star in an off-Broadway production of Annie.
The theater world was a neat backdrop for this mystery that had some nice twists. The story had two mysteries going on actually- the death of Trent and the malevolent interest in Bruno. It paced out slowly as Kay and the gang including a police detective followed the clues to a surprising end.
I listened to Dog Dish of Doom and enjoyed the talented narration of Christy Romano telling the story. This was not my first listen in with Christy. I enjoyed her work earlier this year. She's got a great wry, humorous tone that matched the story well.
In summary, this was vastly amusing and I can definitely recommend it to those who enjoy cozy mysteries. I definitely plan to read/listen to more of Copperman's work and this quirky fun series.
My thanks to Audible for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2017
I love dogs and dog stories, so I had high hopes for this one. However, this book just did not do it for me. The story line was interesting, though not as fast moving as I would have liked. I felt it dragged as I got further into it. As can be expected, Bruno, the dog, was well done and endearing. Nevertheless, I had difficulty with Kay, his agent, his owners and Kay’s parents, the other characters. Kay was born into an actor family, and disappointed her parents when she wanted first to go to law school then to vet school instead of following them into the theater life. They naturally felt better when Kay became an agent for animal actors, since the profession was sort of close to acting. In this story, her parents are between gigs on cruise ships, their latest venue, looking for more work, while preparing to do a production for a senior center to tide them over, while staying with Kay. At times in the story, Kay’s father, who obviously played many roles during his years in the theater, became a “lawyer” for her at one time and a “detective” at another—neither of which was very well done and really added little to the plot. In fact, I found Kay and her family, as characters in the story, as flat as the other characters. The story involved the mysterious death of Bruno’s owner, which Kay felt the authorities were not handling as well as they could and in which she involved herself, while, at the same time, representing and working with Bruno in a production of Annie, where Bruno had a role. Somehow, this all just did not go together for me. As I said, I love dogs and stories involving dogs, so this was not a total failure. Bruno along with Kay’s other two dogs were cute and endearing. I just wish the rest of the book had been as good. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
August 30, 2017
1st in a series but doubt I will read more. Lot of funny lines in this book but it lasted longer than it needed to.
January 9, 2018
I wanted to love this book, dogs, mystery, humor, what’s not to love right? But it just didn’t work for me. There were definitely some funny lines, but a lot of the humor felt forced and came off too cheesy. Sometimes the story was ok, but other times it just didn’t flow very well.
January 7, 2023
3.5
Wry wit, snarky come backs and and a reluctant amateur sleuth who is a theatrical agent who specializes in non human stars made this a highly entertaining read. Loved the Broadway back drop too. And Kay's parents are a hoot! There were some aspects of the mystery that were a stretch, but I think that's part of the charm. It's not supposed to be taken too seriously. A worthwhile distraction for a bleak winter day.
Wry wit, snarky come backs and and a reluctant amateur sleuth who is a theatrical agent who specializes in non human stars made this a highly entertaining read. Loved the Broadway back drop too. And Kay's parents are a hoot! There were some aspects of the mystery that were a stretch, but I think that's part of the charm. It's not supposed to be taken too seriously. A worthwhile distraction for a bleak winter day.
September 16, 2017
Another fun outing for fans of the Answered Questions books.
unfinished
January 17, 2025The narrator for this series isn’t up to par with the one for their Haunted Guesthouse series.
September 17, 2017
This was the introduction to a new mystery series based upon an animal talent agent's cases. We get treated to not only meeting a new group of hilarious character's but what happens to one of Kay's client's owners, and it was quite fitting.
Kay, is asked by the Police to do a sort of snooping around the theatre and report. This was an unusual approach and made this series unique.
As this series unfolds I know each story will be more than the last. Keep reading.
Kay, is asked by the Police to do a sort of snooping around the theatre and report. This was an unusual approach and made this series unique.
As this series unfolds I know each story will be more than the last. Keep reading.
August 30, 2017
Oh, good--a new series by Copperman, who already provides reading matter in a number of forms. Kay Powell is a theatrical agent for animals, which she prefers to people, as a general rule. It looks like Bruno will get his big break as Sandy in a revival of "Annie," but his obnoxious owner may queer the deal. Then Kay learns that his owner has been murdered. To help his not-so-grieving wife, Kay takes custody of Bruno, only to find that someone is trying to abduct the dog. As it happens, Kay's show-business parents are visiting her, and her father decides to help investigate, which doesn't exactly please the police. Lots of fun for animal-lovers.
February 13, 2018
Maybe 1.5 stars. Honestly, this felt like one of those mysteries that just chose the character it mentioned the least to be the "bad guy" without even giving enough bread crumbs to make any of that make sense, especially when someone who supposedly has enough money to invest it into production for a major upcoming work, but somehow can only afford a sub-par condo: how does that make sense? But that wasn't even its worst offense. Kay is a moron. Someone's trying to kidnap the dog. Leave him in a crowded area and hope that he'll be okay. Of course, the narrator is trying to remedy this by saying over and over again, "I am an idiot," but that's one of the worst ways you can make this fly with the reader. Believes that something is going to happen at 6:55 am. It's currently 1 am. Instead of just getting out of bed immediately to utilize as much time as possible, chooses to set her alarm and wake up 55 minutes before she believes something is about to happen. I can't even with that.
The characters were all unlikeable, which is an impressive feat for a book. Her parents were an absolute nightmare. I wanted to kick them out.
The detective was completely unrealistic. She chooses to rely on a woman [Kay] stupid enough to hand a dog she suspects is stolen to a story she is literally doubting the whole way through, but somehow all of her suspicions are usurped by: meh, she's the owner.
This story tried to be needlessly elaborate. Theoretically, if Louis had just not have let Kay take the dog in the first place, then none of the theatrics would have happened. There would be no story. This isn't even hard to figure out. Why all of these schemes into scaring the agent, when there was no need to?
The biggest issue with this book: HOW DO YOU MISTAKE A MASTIFF FOR A MUTT!?! They are ridiculously easy to tell what their breed is. THEY ARE MASSIVE. Even then. The dog today is only worth about $2,000 due to overbreeding. Sure, one did sell for 10 million yuan in 2011, but the money train has long since sailed for a book published in 2017 when the dog was severely cut in price by 2015. The dogs weren't even realistic. Bruno drove me nuts at how much like a dog he wasn't. There was no proof that he was trained well enough to do all of this listening Kay said he did. He also never really seemed happy. More or less, he was just there.
Please, stop putting cozy mysteries onto Reader's Choice. PLEASE. They are horridly predictable with plot holes the size of the Grand Canyon. Please stop putting the readers through this.
The characters were all unlikeable, which is an impressive feat for a book. Her parents were an absolute nightmare. I wanted to kick them out.
The detective was completely unrealistic. She chooses to rely on a woman [Kay] stupid enough to hand a dog she suspects is stolen to a story she is literally doubting the whole way through, but somehow all of her suspicions are usurped by: meh, she's the owner.
This story tried to be needlessly elaborate. Theoretically, if Louis had just not have let Kay take the dog in the first place, then none of the theatrics would have happened. There would be no story. This isn't even hard to figure out. Why all of these schemes into scaring the agent, when there was no need to?
The biggest issue with this book: HOW DO YOU MISTAKE A MASTIFF FOR A MUTT!?! They are ridiculously easy to tell what their breed is. THEY ARE MASSIVE. Even then. The dog today is only worth about $2,000 due to overbreeding. Sure, one did sell for 10 million yuan in 2011, but the money train has long since sailed for a book published in 2017 when the dog was severely cut in price by 2015. The dogs weren't even realistic. Bruno drove me nuts at how much like a dog he wasn't. There was no proof that he was trained well enough to do all of this listening Kay said he did. He also never really seemed happy. More or less, he was just there.
Please, stop putting cozy mysteries onto Reader's Choice. PLEASE. They are horridly predictable with plot holes the size of the Grand Canyon. Please stop putting the readers through this.
August 28, 2017
Title: Dog Dish of Doom - Agent to the Paws Mystery Book 1
Author: E. J. Copperman
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 8-15-2017
Pages: 300
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Sub-Genre: Animals, Suspense, Cozy Mystery,
ISBN: 9781250084279
ASIN: B01N6U0E06
Reviewed For NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she’s found him: His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day.
Kay is the Agent to the Paws, representing showbiz clients who aren’t exactly people. In fact: they're dogs. Bruno’s humans, Trent and Louise, are pains in the you-know-what, and Les McMaster, the famous director mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can’t stand them.
This becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno’s water dish, with a kitchen knife in his back. Kay’s perfectly fine to let the NYPD handle the murder, but when the whole plot seems to center on Bruno, her protective instincts come into play. You can kill any people you want, but you’d better leave Kay’s clients alone.
The first in a new series offers us a chast of characters that walk on two our four feet. They are likable, especially Kay who is fiercely loyal and caring of her clients and those she cares them up. Suspense with a touch of humor carries the story and keeps reader's interested in the events taking place.
My rating of "Dog Dish of Doom - Agent to the Paws Mystery Book 1" is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Author: E. J. Copperman
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 8-15-2017
Pages: 300
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Sub-Genre: Animals, Suspense, Cozy Mystery,
ISBN: 9781250084279
ASIN: B01N6U0E06
Reviewed For NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she’s found him: His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day.
Kay is the Agent to the Paws, representing showbiz clients who aren’t exactly people. In fact: they're dogs. Bruno’s humans, Trent and Louise, are pains in the you-know-what, and Les McMaster, the famous director mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can’t stand them.
This becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno’s water dish, with a kitchen knife in his back. Kay’s perfectly fine to let the NYPD handle the murder, but when the whole plot seems to center on Bruno, her protective instincts come into play. You can kill any people you want, but you’d better leave Kay’s clients alone.
The first in a new series offers us a chast of characters that walk on two our four feet. They are likable, especially Kay who is fiercely loyal and caring of her clients and those she cares them up. Suspense with a touch of humor carries the story and keeps reader's interested in the events taking place.
My rating of "Dog Dish of Doom - Agent to the Paws Mystery Book 1" is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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February 7, 2022
As you can probably tell from the title, Dog Dish of Doom is a funny murder mystery. Kay Powell is an agent for animal (and bird) actors. She has a new client with major star potential. Bruno is being cast as Sandy in a revival of the musical Annie. The dog is great. It's owners are not. Kay has run into this problem before. She prefers her animal clients to their humans. And if she thought that Trent was a problem when he was alive, things only get worse after he is found face down in the dog's water bowl with a knife in his back. It soon appears that in order to protect Bruno, Kay needs to discover who murdered his owner and who wants to kidnap the dog. Our heroine definitely has boundary issues when it comes to her clients. It is easy to see where she gets those boundary issues when her father decides that he needs to help solve this mystery. And where Dad goes, Mom goes. I loved the cast of characters in this story and plan to continue reading the series.
September 29, 2020
Did you ever play the Nancy Drew computer games as a kid? Because that's what this book is - a Nancy Drew computer game in narrative form. Light, not particularly realistic or complicated, and with flat characters with quirky characteristics, this book was a cozy mystery with a dash of creativity. It was mildly enjoyable, but not as funny as it wants to be. Kay and her parents were an odd bunch but funny in a "who thought these characters had any sense of depth or distinction and would really behave like this" kind of way.
For a light mystery with no stakes, it works. Some people apparently find it funny, even if it wasn't my sense of humor. It's not the worst mystery I've ever read - but it's far from the best.
For a light mystery with no stakes, it works. Some people apparently find it funny, even if it wasn't my sense of humor. It's not the worst mystery I've ever read - but it's far from the best.
April 24, 2019
Kay Powell grew up in showbiz, but she had no desire to pursue that as a career. In lieu of veterinary school, she went to law school, got a degree, and became an agent for all the animals who might appear on stage or in movies. Now, she has contracted Bruno, a large scruffy dog, to play Sandy in a revival of Annie. Bruno's parents, The Barclays, however, do not appear to be that mindful of their dog and when Trent is murdered, Kay has to do everything she can to protect Bruno. Filled with lots of zingers and some truly laugh-out-loud writing, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter books.
January 2, 2019
Kay Powell fled the vaudeville act her actor parents included her in for a law degree and her own business as an acting agent for animal talent. Her newest client, Bruno, is a charmer but his owners are obnoxious. When one of the owners is murdered, Kay and her parents, who are between gigs, can't resist trying to solve the mystery.
Charming and fun, this mystery really made me smile AND scratch my head over the identity of the murderer. I loved the dialog, which is loaded with quips and one-liners totally fell in love with the wacky cast of characters, both animal and human. Kay's parents especially won my heart.
MORE, MORE!
Charming and fun, this mystery really made me smile AND scratch my head over the identity of the murderer. I loved the dialog, which is loaded with quips and one-liners totally fell in love with the wacky cast of characters, both animal and human. Kay's parents especially won my heart.
MORE, MORE!
August 12, 2023
boring
Boy is she dumb. For an alleged lawyer, agent, and all the things, she’s incredibly dumb. Pretty sure the dogs solved this murder mystery before she did. I felt brain cells giving up and quietly going to the grey grave yard at different points while reading this book, ughhhh
Boy is she dumb. For an alleged lawyer, agent, and all the things, she’s incredibly dumb. Pretty sure the dogs solved this murder mystery before she did. I felt brain cells giving up and quietly going to the grey grave yard at different points while reading this book, ughhhh
July 24, 2017
**I voluntarily read this ARC**
This was a really fun start to a new series. It has a unique sense of humor and over the top characters, which may not appeal to everyone, but I loved them. The mystery was well written, and it had a nicely paced plot.
This was a really fun start to a new series. It has a unique sense of humor and over the top characters, which may not appeal to everyone, but I loved them. The mystery was well written, and it had a nicely paced plot.
November 19, 2018
Dang, E.J. Copperman is good!
March 25, 2020
Easy fun read.
Reminds me of Stephanie Plum, but perhaps a bit more G rated.
Reminds me of Stephanie Plum, but perhaps a bit more G rated.
March 29, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Its cozy, engaging and intriguing. I can't wait to read the next one.
March 31, 2023
Fun little mystery book!
If you like mystery, dogs, and a couple of jokes then this might be the book for you.
If you like mystery, dogs, and a couple of jokes then this might be the book for you.
September 13, 2025
Fun and entertaining, with original characters but a far-fetched storyline. (Pun not intended!) I'm looking forward to the second book in the series.
January 29, 2018
E.J. Copperman always delights me! This first book in a new series was just a tad challenging for me to get into, but I caught up fast and loved the book! An agent for animal actors is a new occupation in my reading experience, and I had fun with the characters and their stage/ theatrical backgrounds. This one is well worth reading!
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