Dead Ex

Enjoying the first blush of a new and oh so hot romance with FBI agent Simon Alexander, Wollie Shelley just about has it all. Good friends, a place to live between homes and a constant flow of ideas for her greeting card business. What more can a girl want? Well certainly not to hear that her former lover, an actor, director, producer from a top rated soap, David Zetrakis has died. And definitely not that he may have been murdered. Even less so by her best friend, Joey.

Joey Rafferty Horowitz is the quissentential Hollywood beauty. A model, actress, soap star and really just a nice person. Okay, she has her share of people who don’t much like her. Who doesn’t? Especially in Hollywood. But who dislikes her enough to make it look like she killed David? Or did she to it? After all, they have a history that the word “tempestuous” doesn’t begin to cover.

As Joey goes on the run, making herself look both very guilty at the same time also appearing to have an idea who did it and is looking for the proof, her current husband, Elliot dies. It begins to seem like death is following Joey making Wollie, and the reader, wonder who will be next. Is it David’s brother Charlie, actors Max or Tricia, a disgruntled prop man, his unbalanced neighbors on Mount Olympus—yes, Mount Olympus, the power hungry Kim Jen or Joey who has killed these two men. Are the deaths even related? So many suspects, so little time because Joey, Wollie and Cal Tech student, Apollo are locked in an old dubbing studio, with no way out, hours before a soap sweeps stunt that will blow more than their bodies sky high.

Harley Jane Kozak not only writes an absorbing mystery, she adds a touch of Murder She Wrote with Mystery Woman and a dose of humor. Taking place in the world of L.A. soaps, the reader doesn’t have to know the area or even heard of the streets and neighborhoods to enjoy the story. Indeed, Ms. Kozak describes the twists and turns through Tuluca Lake to the studio lots to Mount Olympus so well the reader can easily imagine being there.

Even better, Ms. Kozak interweaves the heroes and gods of ancient Greek, interspersed with the Iliad to weave the tale. When Wollie takes a job creating a tableau on the wall between two houses owned by contentious neighbors her Uncle Theo turns her on to the Iliad to get a feel for the players. This talented author draws the parallels of old Troy with a modern day who done it where each character cold easily be the murderer.

In contrast to Wollie’s pragmatic, do what needs to be done way of living, is Joey’s live for the moment, heck with the consequences approach. Although, Joey does care about the consequences to others. She’s not that worried about herself, it’s the people around her. When Joey takes off running down the freeway away from a Highway Patrol officer readers will cheer for her because haven’t we all wondered about doing something like that given the opportunity?

DEAD EX will easily appeal to both men and women, and a cross-section of generations. How many of us had a grandparent who had to watch “his” or “her” soaps growing up? Ms. Kozak reflects us back that time of our lives while she also treats us to a very sexy 50ish FBI agent who any woman, 20-80 wouldn’t mind slipping between the sheets with.

Non-stop action, solid laughs, and a jaw dropping mystery make up DEAD EX making it a do not miss for this year. If you are looking for a great read, one you just can’t put down and will burn the midnight oil to read, check out DEAD EX. You will not be disappointed.

August 2007