Bird, Bath, and Beyond was my first EJ Copperman book and the second book in the Agent to the Paws cozy mystery series. Seeing as it’s now 2023 and the book came out in 2018 and there hasn’t been any other books in the series I’m guessing it was not a hit for the author.

A lawyer who’s an agent for animal actors seems like a great idea for a cozy series but this was just a miss for me. I never grew attached to Kay, the main character. Plus I didn’t understand why she was involved in figuring out the murder in this story.

Overall this book was just meh, I don’t have any desire to read the first book in the series at this point.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was the perfect easy read book that I needed! It was fun, light and full of intrigue and humour. I hadn't read the first in the series and that didn't seem to cause any problems in understanding what was going on, but I will now probably pick up book 1 to see how it all started!

Kay is the star of the story, and her charges are furry creatures she represents for their work in the entertainment industry! Barney the parrot is her latest client and when he is the sole witness to a murder on a TV show she does her best to help solve the puzzle of who committed the crime. What follows is a fun cosy crime story as she picks up on the little clues - there's a lot of finger pointing and motives revealed throughout so she's got her work cut out for her!

Enjoyable!

What a fun read. This is book 2 in the Agent to the Paws Mystery series. Kay has taken Barney to the TV set of Dead City and the parrot is doing his lines beautifully. When the star agrees to keep the parrot in his trailer during lunch, Kay goes to her car to make some phone calls. When she returns the star is dead and the parrot isn't talking. Funny look at the acting world that animal lovers will certainly enjoy. Can be read as a stand alone. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

2nd book in a light-hearted cozy mystery series featurning an animal talent agent who stumbles into mysteries and ends up helping to solve them. Gentle reads, despite the violence of the inciting crime.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, atmosphere, and characters. I would recommend the book to friends and family for their reading pleasure.

As you read this book, suspend belief and be entertained!

This light, cozy mystery revolves around a murder which took place on the set of a Zombie television series. Filled with ample amounts of dysfunctional, funny characters, human and animal varieties, this book will make you smile frequently. As the storyline wandered and meandered, the mystery unfolded.

The narrator, Kay, was more of an observational comedian than a skilled attorney turned talent agent. Reading this book was like watching a light-hearted situational comedy on television with plenty of burlesque and vaudeville type humor thrown in for good measure.

Many of the characters seemed to be written as caricatures. Their exaggerated characteristics resulted in many chuckles and added to my entertainment. I must say, my favorite character was Barney the parrot.

Thank-you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for a copy of this book.

I didn’t get to finish this book before it was archived, but got about half way through and was enjoying it. I found it very witty and a fun read. My star rating is based on how far I got in the book.

E.J. Copperman has done it again. Bird, Bath and Beyond is the second book in the Agent to the Paws Mystery series and it is every bit as enjoyable as the first book.

Kay Powell owns her own business - a talent agency for animals. While she usually represents cats and dogs, other animals are occasionally part of the mix. This time it’s a parrot named Barney, who is hired as a replacement parrot in a tv series. When a murder occurs on the set, the investigating detective assumes that Barney may be the key to solving the case. As Kay becomes more immersed in the murder investigation, she begins to realize that there isn’t going to be an easy or quick resolution.

Bird, Bath and Beyond is a humorous cozy with a few twists and turns along the way. The cast of characters are well-developed and interesting. The lead detective, Kay’s parents, her office manager, the owner of the local coffee house and a host of other characters, all add depth and color to an entertaining story. While the murder itself is fairly unbelievable, it’s goofy enough to work. Many times it brought a smile to my face and I found it to be an enjoyable and light read.

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

Bird, Bath, and Beyond is the second book in E. J. Copperman’s An Agent to the Paws Mystery series. This light and easy read has a well-plotted storyline and relatable and well-developed characters. There are lots of twists, turns, and laugh out loud moments in this cozy mystery.

Kay Powell is the owner of a talent agency that specializes in animal actors, and she has an amazing office manager/assistant, Consuelo, who wants to be an agent. She grew up in a showbiz family, but her heart wasn’t in it. She thought she wanted to be a veterinarian, but ended up in law school. She owns three dogs: Steve, a dachshund, Eyrie, a greyhound mix, and Bruno, a big goofy dog who loves everyone. Jay and Eleanor Powell, Kay’s parents, stay with her when they aren’t performing on cruise ships. Their last cruise ship gig was an unhappy event. Eleanor said that she’s tired, doesn't enjoy being on a cruise ship, and doesn't want to perform anymore, so they’ve decided to break up their act, but not with each other. Patty Basilico, the owner of one of Kay’s clients, a parrot named Barney, was ill and asked her to fill in as his on-set handler during the filming of a TV show, Dead City. During a break in filming, Kay needs to run errands, and the lead actor, Dray Mattone, allows Barney to spend some quiet time in his trailer. Upon her return, she learns Dray was shot and died, and it seems Barney’s the only witness. NYPD Detective Sergeant Joe Bostwick is assigned to the investigation, and no matter how many times she explains it, he just can’t grasp the fact that while Barney can talk, he can’t actually converse with people, he and insists upon interrogating the bird multiple times. For reasons neither Patty nor Kay can explain, Barney suddenly knows and repeats lines he’s never been taught that seem to relate to Dray’s murder, which reinforces Bostwick’s belief that the parrot can help him identify the murderer. Sergeant Bostwick even insists on filming a reenactment of the crime, requesting Barney be present, and using his camera double/stuntman, Gary Norwood. When Patty is taken into custody, she insists Kay represent her, even though she isn’t a criminal attorney.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This is a fun escape read for rainy Fall day. While it is the second in the series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. Kay Powell come from the theatrical world, both of her parents are now entertainers on a cruise ship but that is another side story in this mystery. Kay is an entertainment lawyer and has her own talent agency....for animals only. Dogs, (her dog, Bruno still gets requests for parts), cats, snakes, fish and birds need her services. This time it's a yellow parrot named Barney who has taken over the part formerly filled by Babs, in the tv series Dead City, a zombie series set in New York. Barney is very good delivering his key line "can't kill a zombie". But, unfortunately you can kill the series leading man. Kay has left Barney, in his cage, in Dray's trailer while she runs a very quick errand. Half an hour later she returns to find the place swarming with cops and Dray is dead. Too bad Barney is the only witness and the cops don't know much about parrots. They think it's a great plan to interrogate him. When Kay tries to explain how one goes about training a parrot to talk, Barney turns things upside down and spout phrases that he hasn't been taught, like "Put down the gun". Seriously. So, as Kay deals with that new twist in her life, she also has to deal with the return of her parents, staying in her apartment. Will they or won't they return to their gig on the cruise ship? Will Kay have time for a friendship to become a romance with Sam? Will she solve the crime? Stay tuned, as they say.
I got a kick out of the tv names and references used throughout the book, starting with Herve Lembeck (I'm old enough to remember Harvey Lembeck back in the beach movies) along with Mannix, Banacek and many more. It's a nice touch. The mystery itself cruises along at a slower pace and has a few red herrings with a good ending as Kay confronts the killer. This is a well crafted cozy and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I’ve been meaning to read Dog Dish of Doom for ages. So, when I got a chance to read Number 2 in the series, I jumped at the chance. I needed something light and funny after two more serious mysteries in a row.

And light it is! Kay is an agent for animals. In this case, she’s representing a parrot who is the sole “witness” to a murder on a tv show set. And the police detective doesn’t seem to understand that while parrots can “talk” they can’t converse. But then, Barney the parrot starts repeating sentences he’s never been taught.

This isn’t laugh out loud funny, but more of the small smile variety. It’s cute. You’ve got lots of fun characters. Not just Kay, but her parents and her office manager. And, of course, her dogs.

The murder plot isn’t really believable, but the story is enjoyable. When Kay is dealing with her parents, it really rang true. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries and animals, you’ll probably like this one.

This works fine as a stand alone and here is no need to have read the first book.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Former child performer turned lawyer turned agent to animal talent, Kay Powell, finds herself part of a murder investigation after her client, Barney, an Amazon Parrot “witnesses” the murder. Her parents, performers with bookings at resorts and on cruise ships are staying with her after their latest gig had her mom thinking of retiring and staying with Kay while her father continues on. Add in the running of her business, a houseful of dogs, an off and on relationship and some fun, quirky characters and conversations and you have the recipe for a fun read.

Fun. If you haven't read this series yet, this is a fine place to start. Kay is an attorney who doesn't practice law- she is an agent for animals. This time around she's working with Barney, who has been hired for the TV show Dead City. Unfortunately, the star of the show is shot to death when Barney is the only other "person" in his trailer. Yikes! Kay finds herself tangled in a complicated (I took off a star because the twists got too implausible at one point) situation as she works with the NYPD to find the killer. At the same time, she's dealing with her parents, who are staying with her in-between gigs on the cruise ship circuit. These books are funny- Kay has a sharp wit- and they are entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. Two paws up!

Light and easy cozy mystery set in the world of talent agent, Kay, who provides animal actors to television and film productions. Bird, Bath and Beyond is a nice afternoon’s entertainment with no graphic violence or language.

Celebrity parrot, Barney, is the sole witness to the death of television star, Dray. When Detective Bostwick asks Kay to question the parrot, she explains that it takes hours to teach parrots to speak specific phrases. Immediately, Barney says “Put down the gun.” When Bostwick arrests a suspect, the suspect asks Kay, who is also an attorney, to represent them. Since Kay is an entertainment lawyer, she calls on a defense attorney for help. However, she decides to also try to find the real murderer.

Bird, Bath and Beyond is the second in the Agent to the Paws Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone. The humor and animals are the best part of this cozy mystery. There are many funny sub-plots such as her new gigantic dog, her theatrical parents, her love interest and her aspirational assistant. Despite some red herrings, the mystery was relatively easy to solve.

This book is recommended to readers of Stephanie Plum who want a more family-oriented read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

Thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely cozy mystery, full of humour and really enjoyable.
The plot was sound, kept you hooked since the first pages.
I loved the cast of characters, and I laughed loud more than once.
Recommended!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC

3.5 stars

In this second comical mystery in 'An Agent to the Paws' series, Kay Powell - the law school graduate/show business agent who represents talented animals - finds herself helping the police when a TV star is killed. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Kay Powell's small New York talent agency represents dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, horses, chimpanzees, snakes.....and if her office manager Consuelo has her way, a flounder who wants to be in "The Little Mermaid."

As the story opens Kay is wrangling an Amazon parrot named Barney, whose owner is down with the flu. Kay is looking after Barney on the set of 'Dead City', a television series about zombie detectives who investigate crimes committed by anti-zombie racists.

Barney plays Babs, the parrot companion of medical examiner Dr. Banacek, played by handsome Dray Mattone. During Babs' scenes, the parrot is in a cage over Banacek's examination table, where the bird shrieks "Can't kill a zombie".....a catchphrase that has become very popular with the general public.

Barney is needed for extra scenes, so Kay leaves him in Dray Mattone's luxurious trailer while she attends a meeting about a dog. When Kay returns, Dray has been shot and killed, and Barney is the only witness. Kay is shocked by the crime, and is even more taken aback when Sergeant Joe Bostwick - the detective in charge of the case - quietly asks, "Can you get the bird to talk?....He heard what was said before the murder."

Kay explains that Barney can only repeats phrases he's been laboriously taught, when the bird seems to contradict her by crying "Put down the gun!", and later on, "A lot of people want you dead, Dray" and "Kill Les Mannix" (the executive producer). Kay can't explain this, and neither can Barney's owner.

Before long a suspect is arrested, who hires Kay as their lawyer. Kay knows nothing about criminal law so she partners with a REAL defense attorney and proceeds to investigate the crime.

Meanwhile, a lot more is happening in Kay's life. Her parents, Jay and Ellie Powell - who perform a variety act in casinos and on cruise ships - are visiting.....and 'helping' with the investigation; news vans are parked outside Kay's house, anxious to report on Barney's knowledge of the crime; Kay has three dogs - Eydie, Steve, and Bruno - who need petting and walking; Kay is nurturing a friendship (and maybe more) with Sam Gibson, who owns the 'Cool Beans Coffee House'; Kay hobnobs with her friend Lorraine Toscadero, who bartends at 'L'Chaim' Kosher Bar and Grill; Kay is maneuvering to give her office manager/assistant, Consuelo, a cat client of her own; and more.

Kay's take on human actors, who she thinks are the most self-involved phonies in the world, is very funny - and along with Kay's other quips and observations, provide a lot of laughs.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of humorous cozies.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (E.J. Copperman), and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.

This is the second in Copperman’s series featuring Kay Powell, a talent agent for animals NYC. In this outing, Kay’s client, Barney the yellow parrot, has a bit role in a new TV show, Dead City. When Barney’s day ends, Kay is called to the nearby set of another client. When she returns to Barney’s set to find Dead City’s star has been killed and Barney is the only witness. The lead detective on the case believes that Barney can tell him what happened and who the perp is. He doesn’t believe Kay when she tells him it takes hours of repetition for Barney to learn a new word or phrase. Barney is not helping because he said “Drop the gun” in front of the detective.

Cooperman unfolds his story slowly, very slowly. Throughout the book there is little tension as he moves his story toward finding out who murdered the star. The murder seems to take a back street to Kay’s parents’ retiring after a disastrous gig on a cruise ship, to her assistant’s desire to be an agent to animals, and various other detours. That being said some of the animal characters, like the parrot and Kay’s shy and retiring mastiff, almost steal the book away from the murder and Kay.

Kay Powell is a talent agent to the stars - to animal stars, that is. Her newest client is Barney, a parrot "starring" in Dead City, a zombie mystery series. When Dray Mattone, the human star of the show is shot in his trailer with Barney as a "witness", the police want to question Barney. No matter how many times Kay tells the police Barney learns lines, he doesn't carry on a conversation, they still want to get him to talk. When Barney starts making startling statements about the murder, Kay decides she needs to solve the case.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advanced digital copy of Bird, Bath, and Beyond by E. J. Copperman. This is the second in the ‘An Agent to the Paws Mystery’ series and my first book in the series. The mystery is self-contained and the reader does not need to have read the previous book to enjoy this one. There seem to be some relationships that are continued from the first book, particularly with secondary characters Sam and Lo, but it is easy to understand relationships between these characters and Kay, the protagonist, without having read the first novel in the series.

In this book, Kay, who is a New York talent agent for animals is representing a parrot who has been hired as a character for one episode of a television series. Barney, is accompanied to the set by Kay because his owner is ill with the flu. The book opens with Kay on set, and the premise is believable enough to help the reader with immediate suspension of disbelief.

Throughout the book there is light humor and some self-deprecating comments about being an animal talent agent. Kay clearly loves animals. She has three dogs of her own, one recently acquired (see first book in the series apparently) and is happy to bring Barney home with her at the request of his owner.

Kay’s assistant, Conseulo, is another regular character in the books, and provides some assistance in taking care of Barney. She is also interested in becoming a talent agent and her efforts to this end provides a side storyline and adds depth to her character. The cast of secondary characters is rounded out with Kay’s parents who are currently on hiatus from their typical work as entertainers and the police detective assigned to solve the mystery of who murdered the television star. Actors and production workers for the television provide possible perpetrators and give a framework to the on-set world.

This is a light, cozy mystery that is an easy, breezy read. It is not at all difficult to keep the characters separate and the actual murder was easy for me to solve. There are a few clues and red herrings spread out through the story, but more time is spent relating the set and activities surrounding the filmings, the story of Kay’s parents and whether or not they will split up their act, and the consideration of several animals as potential first clients for Consuelo. Kay’s trips back and forth to the television set as she talks with various people associated with the production provide the primary information offered the reader who may be trying to solve the mystery on their own.

If you like your books light, with limited emphasis on the murder and how it was accomplished, this may be one for you. There is little tension throughout the book and although the reader is told how the victim dies, it is without any description and absolutely no blood and gore. Even the very last few pages, when Kay is about to solve the mystery if she can survive an encounter with the murderer are written without much heart pounding suspense.