Mary Cooper

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Created by Dan Ames

Los Angeles private eye MARY COOPER is yet another series character by the suspiciously prolific Dan Ames, appearing in  three books, plus another one where she teams up with Detroit private investigator John Rockne, another of Ames’ many series characters. So far, though, that spin-off series has stalled at one book, 2016’s Killer Groove.

What sets Mary apart, apparently, is that she’s sarcastic.

Very sarcastic.

So sarcastic we’re reminded of it in the title of every book in her own series.

Death by Sarcasm (20117), Murder with Sarcastic Intent (2018), and Gross Sarcastic Homicide (also 2018).

Get it? Sarcastic.

Her  initial response to the cops in the series debut, upon being summoned to the scene of her Uncle Brent Connor’s obvious murder (he’d been shot and a big knife is sticking out of his chest,  is ““Are you sure her’s not just asleep?”

See? Sarcastic.

Turns out Mary comes from a family of comedians (Uncle Brent was one) and naturally she has to solve his murder. And naturally, she’s quick with the one liners, and not so slow with the .45 she carries, either. she can also occasionally get some help from on again, off again boyfriend, LAPD Homicide dick Jake Cornell.

But mostly, Mary’s just sarcastic.

Your  tolerance for her may depend of how funny you think the never-ending barrage of wisecracks is.

As one Amazon reviewer put it, “The constant mean-spirited one-liners quickly became boring. There is no depth to any of the scenes. In several points in the plot, Mary suddenly knows key pieces of information as if by magic; we don’t know how she learned where “the house” is, for example. I was hoping for a good, light, amusing read, but the poor characterization and the creaky plot were very disappointing.”

Then again, Amazon.com says ““Mary Cooper is a riot!”

Of course they do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Not fussy about Mary? Have your doubts about Rockne? Have no fear–the suspiciously prolific, international bestselling novelist and Independent Book Award for Crime Fiction winner Dan Ames has plenty more private eye instant series to choose from. The Pin-up Mysteries, featuring Jake Palmer, for example. No? Then try August High, Burr Ashland, Wade Carver, John Rockne,  Jewel Savage & Henry, or maybe a private investigator/bounty hunter known simply as The Garbage Collector. He also has a series of Westerns going on featuring “notorious gunfighter” Bird Hitchcock, and probably a few others out there as well. Plus there are three (so far) Jack Reacher-adjacent series, all officially endorsed by Lee Child himself.

I dare you to try and keep track. 

UNDER OATH

  • “Dead Wood is a fast-paced, unpredictable mystery with an engaging narrator and a rich cast of original supporting characters.”
    — Thomas Perry

NOVELS

THE COOPER & ROCKNE MYSTERIES

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.

Published

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