The Actor's Guide to Adultery

Rick Copp's second novel starring former child actor turned amateur detective Jarrod Jarvis is even better than his first novel, 'The Actor's Guide to Murder'. While Mr. Copp's writing style comes off as light and frothy fun on the surface, underneath is a good amount of depth, wit, clever twists and turns, a truly positive, and heartfelt, portrayel of gay men in love and a surprise ending that I just didn't see coming. I'm currently reading his third novel with Jarrod 'The Actors Guide to Greed' and he just keeps getting better. He already had me in tears in the second chapter after an early unexpected development hurts someone close to Jarrod. Mr. Copp's great ability to juggle humor, romance, and tension has one this guy over as a true fan! I look forward to more works from Mr. Copp as he's just my type of writer!

It's rare to find a series where the second book is better than the first. (I can't think of anyone since Sue Grafton.) Rick Copp has done just that. He builds consistently on the characters he created in "The Actor's Guide to Murder" and makes them even more real. I got tired of most of the mystery genre because even my favorite authors got way too dark and heavy-handed. Copp writes believable, engaging mysteries that are actually fun to read without being over the top. I can hardly wait for #3!

Jarrod Jarvis, a former child star turned sometimes actor/sleuth once again is confronted with a mystery that he decides he must solve. Jarrod is a loveable 30something kinda guy with a hunky policeman lover named Charlie. Jarrod, as a child, was the victim of a stalker who was put into jail, but who subsequently was paroled. This is a major headache for Jarrod. To add insult to injury, his best friend decides to marry a man whom she has known for 2 weeks. The "groom to be" is a MAJOR PLAYER, and at the wedding, dare I say this?...an unexpected death occurs ruining the wedding cake. OK...mayhem and madness from this point on. The murder mystery/comedy will hold your interest throughout the novel. Once you read the book, you will understand how much of a PLAYER really is, and how it contributes to the plot line. The paroled stalker and sundry others contribute to the suspense and humor of the book. This book is just plain FUN!

Former child star and now-struggling actor Jarrod Jarvis gets a call from his agent. No, he didn't get the part he'd been hoping for, but she's fallen in love and wants to invite him to the wedding. Jarrod is suspicious of the handsome actor his agent fell for, especially when his 'gaydar' seems to pick up vibes that Juan Carlos might just be more interested in Jarrod's boyfriend Charlie than in pretty Laurette. Things take a deadly turn when one of the guests at Laurette's wedding dies of poisoning, but Laurette puts together a movie deal for both Juan Carlos and Jarrod. On the set, Jarrod's fears are confirmed--Juan Carlos is sleeping with just about everyone. Still, being unfaithful doesn't make the man a killer--and someone out there is committing murder. Worse, a stalker from Jarrod's more famous past is back on his trail and a handsome detective is testing Jarrod's ability to stay faithful to his partner. Author Rich Copp charms with a funny adventure set in the strange world of Hollywood. Everything is way over the top, coincidences run rampant (although some are cleverly explained), and gay romance definitely does not run easily (but then, neither does straight romance). Jarrod makes a convincing and sympathetic first-person character as he wrestles between lust and love and worries about his (pathetic) career. If you're looking to take a break from the intensity of, say Elizabeth George or T. Jefferson Parker and want to just relax into a fun and funny mystery, THE ACTOR'S GUIDE TO ADULTERY is a great choice.

If you're a fan of comedy-mysteries, chances are you'll like this one. For starters, it's very funny (I especially loved the one-hour quickie wedding at Hearst Castle). The hero of the book is a former sitcom child star, so there's lots of insider Hollywood humor. The action is fast-paced. Copp manages to build up quite a bit of suspense as his hero solves the murder. This is the second book in the series. I read the first and liked it a lot, and found this one just as much fun. I hope he keeps writing more.