Ukulele of Death

Fran and Ken Stein Mystery #1

by E.J. Copperman

Meet Fran and Ken Stein - a private investigator duo who refuse to let a little thing like being not entirely human stop them from doing their jobs.

After losing their parents when they were just babies, private investigators Fran and Ken Stein now specialize in helping adoptees find their birth parents. So when a client asks them for help finding her father, with her only clue a rare ukulele, the case is a little weird, sure, but it's nothing they can't handle.

But soon Fran and her brother are plunged into a world where nothing makes sense - and not just the fact that a very short (but very cute) NYPD detective keeps trying to take eternal singleton Fran out on dates.

All Fran wants to do is find the ukulele and collect their fee, but it's hard to keep your focus when you're stumbling over corpses and receiving messages that suggest your (dead) parents are very much alive.

Ukuleles aside, it's becoming clear that someone knows something they shouldn't - that Fran and Ken Stein weren't so much born, as built .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Science Fiction, Cozy, Humor, Fantasy

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Librarian 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.

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of a book by this author and I really enjoyed it. When the lead characters are named Fran & Ken Stein you know things will be fun. We find out early on that these two are human but built by their parents. Amazingly things that we find weird they never questioned (they get plugged into an electrical source every few days). But from a young age they lived with their Aunt because their parents had died in a tragic car accident. So now they have a PI agency that specializes in helping people find and reunite with their birth parents. And, lo and behold they have a client who wants to find her father and the only clue is that he once owned a valuable ukulele. It is a fun book and mystery, as dead bodies keep piling up, and Fran keeps getting asked out on dinner dates by a police detective. The clues are all there for us, but the entire plot is done in such a way that it keeps you guessing until the very end. Like a said, a fun and entertaining read. And I certainly hope there will be more books featuring these characters!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ukulele of Death is a highly quirky but entertaining read, amusingly combining parody-pastiche of classic American noir (think Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett and Mickey Spillane) with a modern day NYC setting and light sci-fi plotline.

New York City private detective duo Fran and Ken Stein are siblings, whose mutual fondness, irritations and rivalries infiltrate their work lives on a daily basis. However, as observant readers might glean from their names, the Steins aren't quite like the rest of us.

"Ken and I have no mechanical parts; we're totally organic and human from head to toe. ... We were - how do I explain this - sort of put together rather than born." (Loc. 191-4)

While they both have the appearance of "normal" - albeit somewhat Amazonian - human beings, they possess heightened abilities that aid in their investigations, the downside being their need to "plug in" via USB cord to the underarm every couple of days to recharge.

Fran and Ken are engaged by Evelyn Bannister to identify and locate the mysterious father she has never known, the only clue a rare Gibson "Poinsettia" ukulele that he may once have owned. Finding clients' birth parents is a core part of the investigative business of F & K Stein, stemming from the sense of loss and curiosity they both feel in respect of their own "parents" -

"...my DNA and that of the people who made me might or might not have intersected." (Loc. 359)

Olivia Grey and Brandon Wilder had gone into hiding, principally to protect the anonymity of their special "offspring", when Fran and Ken were young children, and they haven't seen them since. Fran and Ken were raised by their kindly Aunt Margie, who remains a daily presence in their lives, living in an apartment on the floor below them.

What follows is a madcap adventure through the streets of New York, two suspicious deaths, an off-street abduction and various shady characters who seem to be attempting to prevent Fran and Ken getting to the bottom of the mystery. Who really is Evelyn Bannister, what is the significance of the ukulele, and why are Fran and Ken suddenly being targeted for so much unwanted attention?

While it took me a few chapters to get my head around what was going on with Fran and Ken's bizarre origins and crazy lives, I enjoyed the humour and (deliberately) overblown drama of the story. At times the threads of the underlying mystery seemed to become quite tangled, but all was clarified by the end.

"I had a thousand loose ends and I'd never learned to crochet." (Loc. 3533)

Fran and Ken make unusual but lovable protagonists, with a well-developed sibling relationship and plenty of great repartee. I look forward to reading further instalments in the series.

My thanks to the author, E.J. Copperman, publisher Severn House, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ukulele Of Death is A Fran & Ken Stein Mystery by E.J. Copperman. While brother and sister, Frannie and Ken Stein will take on almost any investigation, their specialty at F&K Stein Investigation is finding birth parents. They’re still seeking their own parents, having learned as pre-teens that they didn’t die in a car accident when they were little, so they have experience in searching.

Evelyn Bannerman wants them to find a rare ukulele, an apparently collectible Gibson Poinsettia with hand-painted artwork on the body, because she believes it will help her locate her father, a collector of rare string instruments. But before they get beyond noting that one such uke recently sold for a very large sum at Sotheby’s, their client is murdered. And it turns out that almost everything she has told them is untrue. But they’ve got her retainer in their account, and they’re intrigued.

Also intriguing is a missed call from a man who apparently knew their parents: Dr Aziz Mansoor wanted to contact them urgently but then died in a car accident. Just what he had to say will be buried with him, but if there’s any way they can learn what it was, anything to do with their parents, they will grab it with both hands.

As unusual as Ken and Frannie are (quite big, abnormally fast and strong, endowed with exceptional sensory perception, and sporting a charging port just below the left armpit), the mom and dad they are trying to track down are also far from conventional. A research scientist and a surgeon, they used their expertise to assemble first Ken and then Frannie, then left their children in the care of Aunt Margie at a young age for their safety from unscrupulous agencies.

Distracting Frannie from these matters is Detective Rich Mankiewicz who, despite their height difference and her continued resistance to the whole idea, becomes a very persistent beau. His insistence wears her down, and he turns out to be a very good kisser, but she’s not falling into his arms just yet…

Frannie tries to track down this special uke, and collectors of rare string instruments, but can’t resist searching for more clues about their parents through official adoption records. Ken’s online skills bring them a step closer, but before they learn the truth on either matter, there are abduction attempts, a narrow escape, and a dramatic rooftop climax.

Copperman gives the reader a plot with a good number of twists, red herrings, aliases and misdirection, lots of humour and quite a bit of action. His characters are appealing and there’s enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. There’s enough unresolved to allow for further instalments, and more of this cast is most definitely welcome! A very entertaining cosy mystery.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Severn House.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge E.J. Copperman fan so when this book came out, I jumped on the chance to read it. Sure, his books tend to be different but that’s what I appreciate and what sets them apart in the cozy mystery genre. This one, however, did not work for me. It has the same trademark humor and quirky characters but the story didn’t draw me in and I found myself not reaching for the book to see what happened next. This was a DNF for me, for now. I may go back to it later and try again but this was not for me.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Copperman touches seems to turn into a series, but I wonder what he'll do with private investigators and siblings Fran and Ken Stein (say it out loud), who specialize in trying to find birth parents for adoptees, and moonlight trying to find out about their own parents. Smart-mouthed Fran narrates their efforts to help a woman find a rare and valuable ukulele she claims her birth father once owned But there's something fishy about the client's story, though they're still surprised when she's murdered. Meanwhile, the Steins slowly reveal that they're not exactly normal, and that their parents didn't so much bear them as assemble them. Fran is pursued by an amorous policeman who is about six inches shorter than she is, but a really good kisser, and it needs his intervention and a lot more help to thwart the man who wants Fran for experimental purposes.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.
I know this book doesn't take itself too seriously and is meant to be funny but the humor didn't land with me if you vibe with the humor in this book your mileage will vary greatly from mine. There was constant talk/jokes about how tall Fran is and it got to a point where it was eyeroll inducing for me.
The main character Fran and Ken aren't fully human but they're not robot either and they need to charge at intervals that seem rather arbitrary, I didn't really get how that whole thing worked, I don't think it mattered much in the grand scheme of things but it made for a convenient excuse for them to be slightly over-powered. I could tell that Ken was supposed to be something of a himbo and while I normally like a himbo in this case it just felt like Fran wasn't giving him the credit he deserved while feeling better about her own intelligence and performances than she should (maybe that was part of the humor that didn't land for me too).
This book really reads like the first in a series in the sense that there was a lot of work put in setting up the characters and the story was not very impactful, that being said the whodunit part wasn't bad it didn't drag its feet so it made for a quick read.
I received an eARC of this book from Severn House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ukulele of Death is my first book by the author, though I'm not sure if it will be my last.

I love the premise of the story, but the pacing was slow, stuff happens, but it's dull and lacks suspense.

When something does happen, Ken and Fran get out of it in the most mundane ways. Or they just beat the people up because they're, well...big.

The mystery is okay, but didn't draw me in.

I like Fran and Ken (love the play on words) and their aunt, but I found their parents more interesting and wanted to know more about them instead.

[Leane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This private gumshoe series debut is packed with humor, twisty curve balls, and a very innovative PI pair as lead CHs. Genetic engineering and adoption, as well as the rare stringed instrument market shares thematic content as Fran and brother Ken, along with assistance from their Aunt who raised them, looks into a stolen ukulele that will lead them to a client’s birth father as they also continue their own quest to find information on their own parents. I don’t want to give away the innovative CH twist because Fran who tells this tale let’s the reader know right away what it is and the problems that are integral to her and her brother with great humor which permeates the story in her sometimes dry, tongue-in-cheek stream of consciousness delivery. The humor in this story is both a strength and a weakness because sometimes I could feel the author trying too hard to be amusing. Copperman makes the Steins’ special circumstances real to the reader so I made the leap of faith needed to make this a successful mystery with credible CHs. Some of the “villains” are not as well-developed but the police detectives are quite well-structured, especially Mank, Fran’s love interest. Good procedural details, a stellar NYC background, and adequate pacing filled with fun banter, a little ST (Sexual Tension), and some great plot turns made it an easy read with a satisfactory if somewhat cliff-hanger ending. I’ll pick up #2. Fans of humor in their mysteries should probably look into Copperman’s many other series, as well as Donna Andrews, Laura Levine, and Ellen Clary.

[Tex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorably clever and perfect for me for this Halloween-time. Every, well almost every, name in the story has some kind of iconic reference. The Steins themselves are an usual pair of siblings with an unusual origin story. I’ll just say that when they say they are “charging their batteries” in order to get ready for the day, it has a new meaning.
Not sure how this can be sustained in a series (this is evidently the first) as the joke seem told with one book. Fun read, though.

[Silvano Pagano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica Jones meets A Series of Unfortunate Events? I enjoyed the read, but Fran's sarcasm is too disingenuous. I get that it's a great way to connect with readers, or use it as a way to deal with a "I've got parent issues" life, but it was overused.

I enjoyed the plot though so I'm keen for the rest.

[Tara Kat (MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this was brilliant! Ukulele of Death is part 50% cozy mystery, 50% science fiction and 100% a fun read! We follow Fran and Ken Stein, a sibling P.I team who were made - not born. The not quite human duo specialize in finding birth parents for clients who were adopted and are looking to reconnect. Everything changes when a client hires them to find a rare Ukulele, turning their lives completely upside down and sending them on a mission of self discovery and survival. Filled with Shelley worthy puns, murder, mystery, sleuthing and a side of romance this book is so fun and unique!

Check out Ukulele of Death hitting shelves May 2, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's taken me a week to read 1/4 quarter of this book, the pace is so slow. I've read many books by this author and enjoyed them greatly. But this book is dull and going into my DNF pile.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I chose this book because E.J. Copperman writes fun cozy mysteries and I was curious about the debut of this new series. I wasn't disappointed because the story is a hoot.

*****

New York City residents Fran and Ken Stein, siblings who own K&F Stein Investigations, aren't your average private detectives. Fran - who's unusually tall and strong - can easily lift two tattooed wise guys by the front of their T-shirts, one on each arm, and keep them dangling a foot off the ground. And Ken is even bigger and tougher. In addition, both siblings have heightened senses that can detect much more than other people.









That's because Fran and Ken aren't your average humans. They were put together - Frankenstein-like - from body parts and tissues grown in the lab. The siblings' parents - Brandon Wilder, a skilled surgeon; and Olivia Grey, a brilliant scientist - had wanted children but couldn't conceive. So the doctor and researcher made their own babies, who grew up just like other humans. The one big difference: Fran and Ken have to plug themselves into an electric outlet every few days to keep their systems active.



Unfortunately, Brandon Wilder and Olivia Grey had to go on the run after creating the children, to keep certain persons from finding the kids and grabbing them for study. So Fran and Ken were raised by a woman called Aunt Margie, and the fiction was spread that their parents had died in a car accident.



The siblings believed they were orphans until their pre-teens, when they learned their parents were alive somewhere in the world. Fran and Ken made it their mission to find their mom and dad, and as young adults they opened K&F Stein Investigations, which specializes in finding birth parents for adopted children.

One day a client named Evelyn Bannister.....



.....hires the K&F Stein agency to find a ukulele, a relatively rare Gibson Poinsettia with hand-painted flowers and fret markers.



Evelyn explains that the ukulele could lead to her birth father, who (she learned) collects rare stringed instruments. Fran and Ken accept the job, and oddly enough, the ukulele turns out to have a connection with the siblings' own birth parents. So the task appears to be something of a twofer.

The search for the Gibson leads to all manner of trouble, including threats, murders, abductions, mysterious phone messages, and bodily harm - mostly inflicted on other people....like the time Fran throws a roller skater into a would-be kidnapper and knocks his teeth out.

While all this is going on, Fran is being romantically pursued by a nice-looking (but shortish) Police Detective called Rich Mankiewicz....



....and Ken has an unrequited passion for the receptionist he hired, a Romanian woman called Igavda who's 'built like a brick gulag' and speaks only broken English.



As you might imagine, the story is chock full of humor and snide comments, mostly made by Fran about her brother.



For instance, when Ken wants to attend a funeral he has no business at, Fran tries to dissuade him because 'the family needs anything but the Incredible Hulk hanging out at the funeral and asking them questions'; and Fran observes that 'Ken eats Kit Kats by just biting into them. Everyone else on planet Earth breaks each row off and eats it separately. My brother just chomps away at it. Truly, there are days when I despair for him.'

The book isn't high drama, but it's a fun mystery with unique protagonists and an interesting array of characters. Highly recommended to fans of humorous cozies.

Thanks to Netgalley, E.J. Copperman, and Severn House for a copy of the manuscript.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and entertaining affair from EJ Copperman, with elements of the paranormal and cosiness, featuring the very large siblings of Fran and Ken Stein, with the obvious reference to the famous Mary Shelley novel. They are not quite normal humans, given they were 'made' rather than born, and every few days they must plug themselves in be charged. Whilst the extrovert Ken feels completely at home with his body size, he is a man after all, Fran is more self conscious, women as big and strong as her are rare and stand out, she is referred by a NYPD cop as Gargantua, not to mention the lack of men as tall as her, making dating problematic, although Detective Richard 'Mank' Mankiewicz has his eyes on her.

The siblings run a niche PI agency that focuses on looking for the birth parents for adopted adults, a fact that is not unrelated to the loss of their parents, gifted scientists, Olivia Grey and Brandon Wilder when they were very young, leaving them to be raised by their beloved 'Aunt' Margie. The Steins are hired by a client, Evelyn Bannister, to locate a father she has never met, of whom she knows nothing, other than he is a collector of stringed instrument, she believes it might be possible to find out who he is by looking into a rare ukulele, a Gibson Poinsettia, once owned by him. Whilst aware that their client is not exactly telling them the truth, they take on a case where little is as it appears. In the meantime, Fran and Ken's world is rocked when a car crash fatality, Dr Aziz Mansoor, who before his death left a phone message that indicates their parents are not dead.

Could there possibly be a connection with their case and their parents? In a light hearted narrative, the PIs try to figure out exactly who their client is, there is danger and syringes to avoid, a strange London auction in which a ukulele is sold for a fantastical price, the need to try to track down their elusive parents and so much more. I did enjoy reading this, but I dithered about my star rating between 3 and 4 stars as the humour did not always work for me, I made my decision on the basis that the book mostly did hold my interest. This is one for those looking something a little different in the crime and mystery genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t read the blurb on this one, so didn’t appreciate that it was a new series until I opened it up. Not that I was initially all that concerned – after all, Copperman’s previous sure-footed writing style and deft handling of the humour alongside the action in the Sandy Moss series meant I was thoroughly looking forward to this one.

However, as the story wore on, I wasn’t bonding with the main protagonist, Fran. And that was something of a problem because the story is told in first-person viewpoint. While I really enjoyed Sandy’s asides and tendency to rush into things in the Jersey Girl Legal Series – Fran’s constant snark about her brother felt less like affectionate exasperation and more like an annoyed sister who wanted her brother out of her life. There was also a great deal of telling, rather than showing. The paranormal aspect of the story didn’t really convince me, either.

The murder mystery was initially well set up, but I felt the pace did drop somewhat two-thirds through the story, when random figures show up to attack the siblings. What should have nocked the pace and tension up several notches rather fell flat. I wasn’t sure about the romantic element, as I found Fran’s dithering about whether to go on a date or not with the long-suffering Mank annoying. She’s not a teenager and I wanted her to stop behaving like one. That said, Copperman’s experience and skill shows in the smooth prose, succession of likely suspects and the steady accretion of clues such that I wasn’t ever tempted to abandon this one. For starters, I was sufficiently hooked that I really wanted to know whodunit.

The final denouement did work well – and for the first time in the story I truly believed that Fran was in real danger. I will certainly get hold of the next book – it sometimes takes a couple of books for a series to hit its stride and I know Copperman is a talented, able author. While I obtained an arc of Ukulele of Death from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
7/10

[Bakertyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to lead with this: I know this is book 1 of the series.

I know we're trying to get to the "good stuff" so we're just getting the plot going. Some series do this over the first several novels, we're doing this is a couple hundred pages, so things have to move fast.

But I feel the story suffered for it. I think characters are just slapped together and decisions are made because "plot needs it to happen".

Brother and sister are adopted because their parents allegedly died. Kids grow up with their aunt, who is really just a friend of their parents. Kids are rechargeable, they have to plug into get electricity to stay alive... and their names are Fran and Ken Stein. A bit on the nose, but fine. They get caught up in a convoluted story that is actually ended really well, I was impressed by how many plot holes were sealed in a few sentences, honestly well done.

But there were too many plot "jumps" for me to ignore. Like how one character is always thinking with his dick and hitting on woman and "talking to an English professor" so he's using SAT words to sound smarter but he never actually talks to a woman then entire story? Or how one character knocks out a henchman on a stairwell in the dark next to the villain, and the villain doesn't hear this 5 feet away? Or how the other one tells a life-changing secret to someone because they "deserve it" after being in the story for 6 pages and literally not doing anything for the character; like, imagine telling someone your most dangerous secret that could get you sent to prison on the third date? A bunch of things like that, just not something people do.

Maybe the second book is better now that the story is rolling, but this was too thin for my tastes. If you want a light read, maybe something for a beach day or plane flight, this isn't a bad choice. Just not my tastes.

**I received this book from NetGalley and I am leaving this honest review.

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Briefly - Wacky, funny - that entertained me.

In full
I know - not the best reason but I just couldn't resist this title because of the title!! That said "stumbling over corpses" in the blurb is a bit of an exaggeration. It involves Fran and Ken Stein who are private investigators and specialise in finding birth parents for adoptees. The fact that they "lost" their "parents" when they were very young is irrelevant honest... Someone asks them to find their father via finding a rare ukulele - weird but that's not the only weird thing about this story!

The story follows their investigation into this case and other "things that happen" while they are doing that. Fran is the narrator and I quickly came to love the style of her inner dialogues often about her brother. Ken definitely eats Kit Kats the wrong way as far as she is concerned... Their investigation becomes complicated by events which do include the odd body.

To call Fran and Ken a little unusual would be something of an understatement. They are both rather tall and quite strong. Personally I think people should find out exactly why they are different for themselves. This is not a long book but that has the advantage that the pace is quite easily sustained. I guess I wouldn't have minded a bit more narrative however it makes for a crisp story. Equally, for me, there's a rather nice ending which leaves the option for another book. If that arrives I will be as close to the front of the queue for it as I can manage.

This is laugh out loud funny at times, quite edgy at others. There is an interesting/unusual crime story and Fran and Ken's back story is good. It takes some doing to combine crime, a dash of fantasy and humour well however Mr Copperman caries it off for me. This may well appeal to fans of Caimh McDonnell's Dublin Trilogy. Slightly more obscure maybe would be the Sam Ireland Mysteries Series by Jay Stringer; neither of these have the fantasy element but the tongue in cheek crime styles have something in common to me.

Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review

[Debbie Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Setting the Scene: E. J. Copperman's new cozy mystery series Introduces Fran & Ken Stein. (Think about it.) This brother/sister duo are young, attractive, and unusually tall, with various other unique traits. Raised as orphans from a very young age by their "Aunt" Margie, the two now own a detective agency, with its own unique niche, finding birth parents for adults who were adopted. In this first-in-series, Fran and Ken are hired to find a valuable ukulele that may be the key to finding their client's birth father. However, they soon discover that nothing and no one is what they seem, and they are, in fact, faced with piecing together what a 20 year old fatal car crash, an extremely valuable missing ukulele, a murdered client; and a current fatal car crash have in common? Perhaps nothing, except Fran and Ken, themselves.

What I Thought: Mr. Copperman seems to have hit upon a creative, if somewhat bizarre, premise for his new cozy mystery series. Fran and Ken, as well as Aunt Margie, are intelligent, likeable, and quirky characters with plenty of snark and wit, especially from Fran. Their unusual circumstances create a strong bond between brother and sister, but that does not prevent plenty of sibling banter. As amusing as they are, and in spite of Ken's frat-boy tendencies, these two can take care of themselves; and neither is prone to TSTL moments. That's all very good since there is more action than normally found in cozies. The mysteries, plural, are well plotted, with plenty of red herrings and misdirection to keep things interesting, and come together nicely, for the most part. There is even a bit of a slow burn romance. While all that wit and banter can be a bit much, at times, and, yes, I had to suspend reality, here and there, I found this book refreshing and funny and look forward to more time with these characters.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ukulele of Death by E. J. Copperman is a contemporary mystery. After losing their parents when they were just babies, private investigators Fran and Ken Stein now specialize in helping adoptees find their birth parents. So when a client asks them for help finding her father, with her only clue a rare ukulele, the case is a little weird, sure, but it's nothing they can't handle. But soon Fran and her brother are plunged into a world where nothing makes sense - and not just the fact that a very short (but very cute) NYPD detective keeps trying to take eternal singleton Fran out on dates. All Fran wants to do is find the ukulele and collect their fee, but it's hard to keep your focus when you're stumbling over corpses and receiving messages that suggest your (dead) parents are very much alive. Ukuleles aside, it's becoming clear that someone knows something they shouldn't - that Fran and Ken Stein weren't so much born, as built.

Ukulele of Death is a mystery that is full of surprises and twists. I loved the tongue in cheek commentary by Fran through the entire book, and that even that characters I thought I had a handle on surprised me more than once. I liked the set up and slow reveal about what makes Fran and Ken so special, and found their relationship with each other and those around them to be well done and engaging. There were some great clues, and some red herrings, that kept me guessing through out the read. There was also a sense of humor and fun to the read, so that even when I was worried about Fran and what twist might be on the next page I never dreaded the danger involved in the reveal. I really enjoyed the read and will be looking for more from the author.

Ukulele of Death is an entertaining and well written mystery. I am hoping to read more about these characters.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Ukulele of Death is the first book in a new SF(ish) mystery series by pseudonymous author E.J. Copperman. Released 2nd May 2023 by Severn House, it's 284 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a tongue in cheek lightly humorous mystery opener with a brother/sister pair of private investigators who aren't entirely human, but not entirely robot either. There are quirky aspects which are never really explored, such as them having to plug in to recharge occasionally (but not consistently). There's also endless repartee around their physical appearance, Fran is remarkably tall, and the author never lets an opportunity pass to comment on it.

The plot and investigative puzzles are pretty well constructed and the writing is entertaining and lighthearted. The humor will be hit or miss for most readers. I found it repetitive and trying in places. I did love the premise of semi-human super intelligent created protagonists and thought the background and world building for the overarching evil-shadow-corporation back-story was intriguingly done.

Four stars. Odd but eminently readable; tries too hard to be funny in some places. Credible plot and well executed.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

[NerdMuffin (Regina) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fran and Ken Stein are sibling PI’s that specialize in finding lost parents. When a woman shows up in their office asking them to find a lost ukulele and her father, they take on the case only to have their client murdered, the ukulele lost, and their secret exposed. It turns out that Fran and Ken aren’t exactly normal but are definitely exactly what their parents made of them. They have to solve the murder, find the instrument, and keep the mysterious Voice from accomplishing his plan to kidnap Fran, all while looking for their own missing parents.

This was such a fun and silly story that I couldn’t help but love it. I was pleasantly surprised with this novel with two gigantic, Shelley inspired protagonists; it was witty, goofy, and absolutely entertaining. In a world of pretensions it is nice to find a book that is meant to be purely enjoyed and not taken apart for some deeper, hidden meaning. The first person narrative is fun and friendly, and really allows Fran’s personality to take center stage. Her interactions with her brother Ken are so well written that I swear I have had similar conversations with my own older brother. I’d love to see a subsequent book in this series written from Ken’s POV so we can get to know him better and to see just how well Fran knows him. The humorous nods to Frankenstein when the power goes out had me giggling and I am rooting for the romance between Fran and Mank. Overall this book was humorous with characters that may not be as smart as they are strong, has a fun story line, and it a quick read. Even if not terribly cerebral, this book was absolutely enjoyable.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining cosy mystery where no one is who they say they are and everyone has ulterior motives.

Brother and sister, Fran and Ken Stein, run an investigation agency for people looking for their parents. This was inspired by their own desire to know more about their own parents who died in a car crash when they were young. Raised by their Aunt Margie, Fran and Ken are not ordinary human beings (just how different you’ll find out by reading the book). In addition to some unique traits, they are both very tall, good looking and strong, attracting attention wherever they go. With women throwing themselves at him, Ken puts this to good use, but Fran is more wary, fending off overly eager men and finding it hard to find a date who isn’t too short for her.

They have received an unusual request from a woman who says she is looking for her father, but rather than finding him she wants Fran and Ken to find a rare ukulele she says belonged to him which she says will allow her to trace him. And so starts a bizarre investigation into ukuleles, collectors of rare instruments, car crashes and people trying to kidnap Fran. Narrated by Fran, the plot has plenty of action, false leads and twists as well as snarky humour, particularly at the expense of her brother. The characters are likeable and intelligent and if this is the start of a new series, I’d be happy to meet them again.

With thanks to Severn House via Netgalley for a copy to read

[Di Prokop · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Humor, mystery, and a dash of sci-fi combine to make a sure-fire hit.

In Ukelele of Death , author E. J. Copperman introduces us to a new crime-solving duo -- brother and sister Fran and Ken Stein.

The characters play out the true love and drive-you-crazy aspect of any sibling relationship but with a secret bond and I'm not talking about their Private Investigation business helping people find birth parents. Their names are your first clue.

I imagined Fran, as the hilarious British actress Miranda Hart, whose self-titled series forever broke the fourth wall, telling viewers how she really felt. Ken, I see as a cross between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steve Howey, who started out as the goofy football player son-in-law on Reba and now, almost 20 years later, playing Schwarzenegger's role in the TV version of True Lies.

This is my first time reading Copperman, known for both his Haunted Guesthouse and Jersey Girl Legal Mystery series.

He hooked me with the very first line. Not only was I intrigued with Fran and the mystery from the onset, he introduced the rich supporting characters as the plot twisted and turned, offering satisfying chuckles all along the way.

I highly recommend Ukelele of Death to anyone looking for a new cozy series and an enjoyable, light beach read.

I received this advance reader copy from Simon & Schuster, courtesy of NetGalley. This review is fair and impartial.

[Anam Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what to think about this. It certainly was engaging although the story was weird.

Fran & Ken are siblings who were not born, but "created" somehow through eugenics. Apparently from transplant and some sort of cell growth. Their mother had been working on a cure for cancer. They each have a USB port and need top plug in periodically to keep strength. They are rather large, although we are never told EXACTLY how tall they are.

They have a private detective agency that helps adoptees find parents (they were adopted and told their parents died in a car crash). They had no idea they ere "special" until grown when Aunt Maggie told them about their parents being worried that the government was after them and the children.

Well, now someone has learned about them. Fran was kidnapped at one point and they tried to abduct Ken also. All this while researching a ukulele for a client who thinks finding the ukulele will help her find her biological father. Except that everything they were told is false and the client is found murdered.

Not sure the characters or plot line is enough for me to read a second book.

I read this one because I loved Written Off and Edited Out by the same author. I have two other books form the library by the same author and will give them a try before I move on to other things.

[Jennyfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fran and Ken Stein, are private investigators. They also happen to be the children of renegade scientists (currently on the run), and as such are blessed with extraordinary height, strength, abilities, and a need to physically recharge every so often.

When a job to find a rare ukulele goes bad at the same time a lead to finding their own parents turns up dead, Fran and Ken find themselves at the centre of murky plots an kidnapping attempts.

This was a fun read. In the style of hard-boiled detective, but with more than a healthy dash of dry humour, the story is told from Fran's perspective (giving us plenty of digs at her sibling) as she breaks the fourth wall and narrates a week in her life, from the ukuleke research and the supposed dates with the local police detective, to the requirements to charge and casual acknowledgements of her difference from other people. Frankenstein's monster meets Dick Tracy. (And I just now realised the Frankenstein pun!)

I did find the very end a little plot-holey, and had to go back to fill in gaps, but overall it was a rollicking tale of non-stop intrigue and humour.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

E.J. Copperman has developed several entertaining and popular series. You can always depend on him to create some interesting and off-beat characters, which only adds to the enjoyment of his books. But, his latest book Ukulele of Death is one of the most unusual of all.

Fran and Ken are siblings and colleagues. Fran owns a detective agency and her brother is her investigative arm. For very personal reasons they specialize in finding parents of their clients. Most of the time their investigations are fairly straight-forward but with their latest case they become embroiled in the possible theft of a rare ukulele, hidden identities, murder, kidnapping, and the list goes on.

This book is intriguing in that the secrets that Fran and Ken have are just as interesting and…shall we say unusual…as the case they are trying to resolve. Their sibling relationship and their relationship with the aunt who raised them is so much part of the story and makes it all that more enjoyable. There’s a lot going on in this first book and I liked the fact that it not only kept my attention but it also made me keep track of all the moving parts. Mr Copperman’s humor is subtle (I like it!), the plot is well-conceived, and the dialogue is enjoyable. All the parts in this book work to create a story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m looking forward to more of Fran and Ken.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

With an orphaned brother and sister team working as a PI team who helps adoptees find their birth parents. In this inaugural entry, they’re asked to help find a father with only an instrument as the clue. They’re falling over bodies and getting messages regarding their own parents all while trying to solve the case they’re working on. It seems this one is going to be a two for, as Fran and Ken are going to learn more about their own origins as well.

I’ve been a fan of this author’s Guest House Mystery series and really missed it once it ended…but then a few more series came out and each one has been read by yours truly. This one has a great take on the name…Fran and Ken Stein (Frankenstein)…and explains why I love the humor so much. Being a Jersey gal, we have a snarky sense of humor and I love this stuff! Looking forward to seeing where this one goes with the next entry.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

E. J. Copperman’s mysteries are never banal or predictable. When you start reading you know that the characters will be well developed and the mystery solid.
And the plot will feature something very original that will make you love the story.
This is the weirdest of all and one of the funniest I read this year. There’s a lot of humour and it could be called a cozy speculative mystery or a sci-fi cozy mystery.
The definition it’s up to you, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and there were some details that made me laugh loud.
There’s always a more serious side about the origin of Fran and Ken even if it’s packed in humour.
A solid mystery with some weird twists and a lot of surprises. I loved the solution and hope to read soon other stories featuring these characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Severn House for this arc, all opinions are mine.

[Mary C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fran and Ken Stein are sibling private investigators and specialize in finding birth parents for adoptees.
The sister and brother are not quite human but products of their scientist parents' research. Due to their
parents death in a car crash, there are many unanswered questions.
Hired to find a ukelele by a client who is convinced it will lead her to her father, the police get involved
when the client is found murdered. It is then discovered that the name she gave was false - what
was she really after? Why is their father's name popping up? Are their parents really dead? Do others
know about their origin?
Enjoyable read - look forward to Fran and Ken's next case.
#UkuleleofDeath #NetGalley