Fingerprints and Facelifts

Rick Copp wrote a three-part series where a hot gay actor and his hot cop boyfriend solved some crimes, and each of them was more enjoyable than the last. He used to write for Will & Grace, so the jokes worked almost every time. I don't know why he's not extending that series, but I'm shocked to find that this new one he's starting is even better, and without any gay protagonists! It's a fusion of Charlie's Angels and Desperate Housewives. Three hot girl detectives who used to go undercover all the time retire, and twenty-five years later, someone from their past is threatening their children, so they have to reunite for a few more zany misadventures. The mystery was complicated and yet completely made sense at the end, the characters were fleshed-out and delightful, and the whole thing reminded me of my mom's spirit, which is a plus. Recommended across the board.

Back in the 1980s, the three L.A. Dolls were the best female private investigators around. However after a while they broke up the team as each had a different direction in mind and moved on with their lives. Tougher than tungsten Dani Mendez has become San Francisco's assistant chief of police but "mom" has constantly been ignored for the top job she deserves; soft nurturing Claire Walker-Corley has become a wife and mom burying her superhero days in the basement; and elegant Tess Monahan-Cardoza is a wealthy widow with a string of boy-toys Everything changes for the trio when drug lord Benito Coronel is released from prison with a thirst for vengeance against the Charlie's Angels who sent him up the river. The first assault is on Claire's son Zak followed by someone firing a bullet at Dani's offspring Bowie; and soon afterward an attempted abduction of Tess' stepdaughter Bianca. The former L.A. Dolls know they must reunite to keep their children safe by burying their differences to return Coronel to jail. FINGERPRINTS AND FACELIFTS is a terrific private investigative thriller in which readers have an idea of what could have happened to Charlie's Angels two decades after the highlight films stopped running. The story line is driven by the unique threesome, who are so different from one another, has squabbles between them to contend with, and yet are there for each other and their offspring. Los Angeles has not looked any better as fans will enjoy the frenzied resurrected L.A. Dolls kicking butt. Harriet Klausner

Copp, Rick. "Fingerprints and Facelifts", Kensington, 2007. A New Mystery Series Amos Lassen and Literary Pride One genre of literature that never gets old is the mystery. Mysteries make you think and keep you entertained. Get ready for a new fresh and irreverent series from Kensington Books and written by Rick Copp. I promise that the new "Fingerprints and Facelifts" will keep you happy--even if you are not a mystery fan. It is retro and it is great. The L.A. Dolls are our heroes and they are full of guts and fire. The three women are retired private investigators. The girls, Tess, Dani and Claire worked together when they were in their twenties and they reunite to solve a major case. Claire's son is getting married and they all come to the festivities. Tess, once quite a lover, has her new Brazilian boy toy with her. Dani is a bit undone as she was passed over as police chief of the San Francisco Police Department. (The other cops called her "Mom"). Claire is now a suburban house wife and mother who has kept all the mementos of her life as a P.I. in the basement. They have had misunderstandings in the past but they still share a loving bond especially when there is a case to be solved. When their children are targeted by someone, they realize it is time to work together again. It seems that someone from their past wants them to pay for what they did to him. The L.A.Dolls come together again but the times have changed. Life is different in many ways and the girls are not so young anymore. What they lack in youth, however, they have gained in wisdom. Like fine wine, they have aged and gotten better. Additionally this case is very personal--it concerns their children. Reading about them getting back to their old lives is uplifting and they have a great time doing so. However, they are not alone at getting back into the game. Someone else has been plotting revenge for twenty-five years and will stop at nothing. The situation is such for Claire, Tess, and Dani is that their first case back together could be their last. When they were younger, they were very different. Claire was soft-spoken and elegant, Tess was wild and sexy and Dani was a sharply focused true leader. They must resurrect their professionalism to protect their kids. The book is fast-paced and loaded with great mystery. It is also suspenseful to the nth degree. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It is a great summer read and as can be expected from Kensington Books am overall pleasure. Rick Copp, the author, writes beautifully and never allows you to lose interest. You will be turning pages so fast that you will finish the book in no time. But since this is the first of a series, we have more to look forward to.

The LA Dolls were a popular group of private eyes in Hollywood - Charlie's Angels was on TV, but these 3 ladies were the real thing, and wildly popular and had a great success rate. They disband after many years and go their ways due to personal differences and each starts their 'real lives' and marry and have children. They are forced out of retirement when each of their children have been threatened and they figure it must be someone from their past seeking his revenge by harming their children. So for one more adventure, the LA Dolls, all 50-somethings, return. They find the old instincts are still there and 50 something gals can still get the job done. The characters are believable, even if the 'whodunit' wasn't as hard to unravel, but it was a fun read. I would buy the next in the series. Rick Copp's other series, The Actor's Guide to... about a gay actor and his partner and his penchant to solve crimes, is full of humor and adventure and his current series start of the LA Dolls, has a gay son, so Copp continues to enlighten us that everyone is just like everyone else. As a straight woman, I have liked both series -The LA Dolls has the potential to be a strong series - it is fun, it tells a story, and sends the message that no matter the age, if ya got it, ya got it!