Drama, some actions, a few twists/turns, a bit of mystery, a little sadness, and a lot of family dynamics.
The plot is structured well, however, the pace was slow. It took far too long to get to the mystery part of this book. The family drama/dynamics took up so much of the book, the mystery was secondary. The pace was painfully slow during some of the book, which makes it hard to engage.
The characters are unique. The Father (Jarrod), as indicated in the title, is a former child star and now playwright. Liv, his daughter, doesn't like drama, has a criminal justice degree, and has a boyfriend whose middle name should be drama. Insert Zel here, Liv's boyfriend, a filmmaker, who is filming a documentary on Liv's surrogate. Liv asks Zel to wait on the documentary, but he does it anyway, then suddenly, he is dead.
Jarrod rushes to assist Liv. Liv finds out about lots of family things. It just drags on and on, with all the family drama.
I am still not sure if I missed something, but the title implies that Jarrod finds corpses, as in plural, but I felt like I missed why this is the title. Did he solve murders in the past? I think one of Jarrod's friends mentions this, but no context is given.
Overall, wouldn't jump to read this again, but not a horrible book.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Happy Reading!

When the boyfriend of Jarrod’s daughter Liv is murdered, he jumps on the opportunity to help his daughter find the killer and maybe also bind with his daughter again over the experience.

The first 30% of the book are used to build up the characters, give them background stories and have the reader grow attached to them. It was a bit tough to get through, especially because at times the story of Jarrod being a gay widower with an enstranged cerogate daughter who is trying to find her identity felt over-told.

Once the murder actually happened, things did pick up.

The plot twists were satisfactory and did come as a surprise. The conclusion tied up all lose ends and at the end of this audiobook I feel like I have listened to a perfectly enjoyable murder mystery:
Fun to listen to while doing household chores, especially while you are reading a 2nd book which is more in debth on things.

Instagram review posted on May 25th

I enjoyed this story and found it entertaining even though cozy mysteries aren't usually my favorite. This was a little slow and took awhile to get to the death and mystery, but felt the characters and their relationships with each other really made it a fun read. I liked the narrator telling this story.

This is a book about a formerly not so close father/daughter duo who end up coming close to solve crimes, with the help of a fab set of characters including a former First Lady! Such a charming and witty cozy mystery with a perfect balance between humor, heart, and suspense, with engaging characters and a clever plot that leads you to think you know who's done it, but you don't really know until the end. The writing is sharp and inviting, making this a delightful read for anyone who enjoys lighthearted mysteries with emotional depth. I listened to the audiobook, and I believe the narrator nailed it. I always knew who was talking, emotions were portrayed in a great way, and he kept your attention!

My Father Always Finds Corpses
by Lee Hollis
Narrator, Matt Godfrey
Book One, Jarrod Jarvis Series
This is the first book in a new series by the brother and sister writing team known as Lee Hollis. They are very prolific authors with several long running series. This is a cozy mystery with a lot of humor. It is a quick read, not deep, not very serious but very entertaining and a simple listening pleasure. Just try to say Renata’s empanadas five times fast.
Narrator is good and I learned how to say Travis Kelce’s last name correctly.
Thanks to NetGalley.

"My Father Always Finds Corpses" was an okay cozy mystery. The characters don't really get a lot of development and the story felt a little convoluted and was based on too many coincidences for my liking.

3.5 stars

If I were to sum this up in a couple of words, they'd be cozy, cute, and touching.

There's some suspense, a mystery to solve, LGBTQ relationships, rebuilding bridges in the family, an older man dealing with aging, a widower, an ominous premonition, a scumbag boyfriend, amateur sleuths, creepy extended relatives, a cool uncle, a former first lady, a surprising twist, and it's fairly wholesome overall. So, yes, a lot going on. It's a slow-burn plot with good dialog and fun, flawed characters. I'd recommend this to lovers of the whodunnit genre and fans of modern, American cozies.

3.5 stars for me! Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book. I really enjoyed the characters and storyline—it kept me engaged from start to finish. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. I really enjoyed listening to this. I would have loved to see a bit more depth and development in Liv's character, but overall, it was a compelling read. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author!

Beginning was exciting and intriguing. It lost me in the last half or quarter. The ending fell flat for me but it was ok overall

Zu langfädig für meinen Geschmack, ich hatte es mir locker -lustig vorgestellt, empfinde es aber als tranig-traurig.

Jarrod Jarvis has been living a more quite life since the passing of his partner Charlie. He has left his Hollywood days behind him and has settled into Palm Springs where he writes and directs at a local theatre. His partner Charlie had been a police detective and since he passed away, Jarrod's life has lost a little thrill from sleuthing to solve Hollywood murders.

Liv also is grieving the passing of her father Charlie. She just earned her degree in criminal justice and she has struggled to connect with her dad Jarrod. Her and Charlie had been two peas in a pod. Liv has put her career on hold for a bit to help her filmmaker boyfriend, Zel, with his next project. He wants to make a documentary about tracking down the surrogate who gave birth to Liv and connecting them. She doesn't like the high pressure tactics he is using and goes to break things off with him. But when she finds Zel bludgeoned to death in his studio, she instantly calls someone she knows she can count on, Jarrod. The two team up to try and find out what happened. Was it related to Zel's new project or something else? There is nothing like a murder to bring a family together, right?

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. There is a cast of fun characters and their connections were charming. The story was unique and following the relationship of Jarrod and Liv reconnecting after the loss of Charlie was sweet. The audiobook was very well done and I loved listening to it. The only thing that held this one back from me was the mystery conclusion felt a little patchy. It worked but it just like "huh, ok". This is the first in a new series and I will be watching for further from the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audiobook for review.

Liv’s current boyfriend, Zel, is planning a documentary to explore the surrogacy of Liv and what her fathers went through to have her. He wants to find her surrogate mom and record all the awkward moments and the two meeting up again after so many years. Liv is on the fence and doesn’t feel incredibly comfortable with moving forward with the project until Zel surprises her with an unexpected meeting.

Soon, things start to unravel as the surrogate mom’s children start coming out of the woodwork with their own agendas of what they want from Liv and her loved ones. When Liv goes to break things off with Zel, he is found murdered in his studio and now there are quite a few suspects of who could have had the access and anger to do such an act.

In a few ways this story is fun an interesting but in other ways it’s a bit predictable and fits the tropes set by the genre of cozy murder mystery. I did like the father/ daughter duo working to solve the crime and clear the uncles name, but it doesn’t feel too new or imaginative. We have some fun characters since we are brushing the edges of Hollywood, with a first lady, a secret service agent, and some familiar party goers. It’s a lighthearted, quick read. It can be finished in a day by the pool as well. It feels like we could explore a series with these characters, but we will have to wit and see what happens.

Jarrod is a former child star currently working as a theater director, after his husbands death there’s been a distance between him and his daughter but she finds her boyfriends dead body father and daughter are joining forced to solve the case.

I thought this was kind of cute and will continue the series. Dad and daughter work well together and I think their relationship will get better and better. Also nice uncle that pops up, I needed more from him and he better be in the other book.

3,5 rounding up

My Father Always Finds Corpses was a fun cozy mystery, it was farcical in nature and often really funny. Jared is a former child star turned author/playwright with a penchant for super sleuthing, his daughter Liv has just graduated with a degree in criminal justice opening the door perfectly for a father daughter duo.

Jared’s glimpses back to his past gave me spin off vibes, I’m not sure if the character has been around before, if so it still worked perfectly well as a standalone, with plenty of scope for follow ons.

Quick, camp, fun!

The audio narration by Matt Godfrey was great, he leaned right into the humour and it worked well.

Huge thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Apparently this book is a spin off of Rick Copp’s Actor’s Guide mysteries from 20-ish years ago, which I never read. Then, Jarrod was a former child actor trying to make a comeback, living with his LAPD cop boyfriend, Charlie, and solving murders. Now, he’s given up on acting and writes and directs plays. He’s still grieving over Charlie, who died ten years ago, and has an adult daughter, Liv, who has just found her boyfriend’s dead body in his film studio.

I listened to the audiobook and I don’t know if it was the writing or the narrator or just how much set up there was before the murder, but it took me a while to get into the story. It felt awkward, there was something annoying that I just couldn’t put my finger on. But once the story got moving, it held my attention well.

Jarrod and Liv have plenty of suspects, including a pair of half-siblings Liv met thanks to the, now dead, boyfriend’s idea of doing a film based on her surrogate mother. I like their interactions and they felt real. There has been a bit of a gulf between them that’s developed since Charlie’s death and this case is helping them work their ways back to each other. I loved the addition of Brody, Liv’s uncle/Charlie’s brother, a former professional wrestler who is living in Jarrod’s casita while between jobs. He’s Jarrod and Liv’s muscle, but truly cares about both of them and adds a bit of levity. I also like Jarrod’s slightly eccentric friends, an older gay couple and a former first lady – they seem very stereotypical Palm Springs in a good way. And he has a cat, so it fills all the cozy mystery boxes.

This is a fun mystery. There are a couple of twists and turns and unfounded suspicions, but the characters work a bit better than the solution does.

This book was an absolute delight to read! It had everything I look for — engaging writing, memorable characters, and a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The author’s voice is distinct and compelling, making it easy to get lost in the world they created, no matter the genre.

I'm incredibly grateful to the publisher for the early copy. It was such a joy to read this in advance, and I can’t wait for more readers to experience it. Highly recommend!

My Father Always Finds Corpses by Lee Hollis, is a fantastic mystery. The audiobook by Tantor Audio is narrated by Matt Godfrey and this is one captivating listen. While it took some time to time to reach the corpse, once there, the story picked up momentum and it truly soared. I have a soft spot for cozy mysteries, and this one features a captivating father-daughter duo, with the father, Jarrod Jarvis, being a former child star who has transitioned into a playwright. The film industry adds a rich layer to the backdrop of the story.

To enhance the mix, there's an ex-first lady as a lavishly rich and well connected best friend, a former wrestling star as an uncle, and a strikingly handsome secret service agent; these characters create great story lines. The narrator excels in bringing each character to life, which greatly enriches the experience.

The victim, Zel, is to put it mildly, rather unlikable, providing the listener with a long list of suspects to consider. This unfortunate fella was a documentary filmmaker immersed in various projects, but was unscrupulous in his methods, disregarding the fundamental ethics of his craft. He wasn’t hesitant to delve into political scandals or engage in the theft of creative properties, which significantly broadens the scope of potential motives and suspects for his demise. Toss in a touch of university life, and the intrigue only deepens.

I highly recommend you take a listen to Matt Godfrey's narration of My Father Always Finds Corpses by Lee Hollis. Pre-order your copy today.

Thanks are extended to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy of the audiobook.

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Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I love cozy mysteries and have read so, so many. They are usually light, quick paced and a bit fun to lighten the mood of the murder. Less blood and gore. This one was a bit of a slower pace than other cozy mysteries I've read. Usually the death occurs in the first few chapters, but in this one the death took a while to occur, and the twists to keep it interesting, the overall pace felt slow through the whole book.

This wasn't an 'edge of my seat' style read, but it was fun and enjoyable, so other cozy mystery lovers would probably enjoy this one as well.

3 stars. Recommend to other cozy mystery lovers.

I received an audio ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an immensely readable light read with a genuinely charming narration Matt Godfrey about a former child actor turned playwright and director with a penchant for amateur sleuthing and the murder of his daughter's insufferable and pushy boyfriend.

I enjoyed how gay and fun the story was and the prose, while not knocking me socks off at any point, was of the perfect for a flight or holiday read nature.

What I didn't enjoy was just how cis white gay liberal it was with a far too favourably a view of cops, secret service, presidents, and first ladies...

Maybe this would have been read very differently in the hayday of The West Wing, but this is the year of our lord 2025 where Republicans are all but goosestepping with Starmer's Labour racing to out fash Reform (the latest incarnation of British Fascism), the Tories, and the best the Democrats have done was still a major war criminal, despite his epic memeing.

Pigs and the ruling elite are the enemy of the people and anything that tries to play that down is crass propaganda, regardless of intentions.

White cis gays get it together and remember First They Came...!

This was delightful. I read a lot of mysteries, and they can therefore seem overdone, but this was clever and innovative.



Review copy provided by publisher.