Dead Ex

Starred review from June 4, 2007
Holy Hollywood! In actor-turned-author Kozak's witty third crime caper (after 2005's Dating Is Murder
), wild Wollie Shelley must solve the cold-blooded murder of terminally ill David Zetrakis, producer of the popular TV soap At the End of the Day
. Tall, unarmed and sometimes very dangerous if provoked, Wollie's an underemployed greeting card artist who starts moonlighting as the dating correspondent for the talk show SoapDirt
. Getting the dirt on David's killer, however, proves to be a major challenge. Wollie and her best friend, fellow Day
actress Joey Rafferty, had both dated David, and Joey becomes the LAPD's top suspect when it turns out David bequeathed her a valuable Gustav Klimt painting. Wollie's faith in her friend is further tested when Joey's husband dies in a suspicious surfing accident and Joey disappears. A Greek mythology twist and crackling insider insight into the fascinating soap opera world enhance this clever whodunit.

Starred review from June 15, 2007
It's been much too long since Wolley Shelley's last appearance. But now she's back, and her newest adventure is just as entertaining as her first two ("Dating Dead Men; Dating Is Murder"). Having participated in a dating experiment, Wolley, a part-time greeting-card designer, is now considered a "dating expert" and even has her own segment on a popular television show. Life is good until Wolley's ex-boyfriend, famous writer/director/producer David Zetrakis, is murdered, and her best friend, Joey, becomes the prime suspect. But who really killed David? Wolley knows that Joey would never do such a thing; besides, several people have benefited from David's death. Despite objections from her hunky live-in love, FBI Agent Simon Alexander, Wolley is bound and determined to find out who pulled the trigger. Quirky characters with witty dialog and snappy comebacks make the writing sparkle. Libraries of all sizes will want this hilarious, rapidly paced romp for their mystery and chick-lit collections. Kozak, winner of the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards, is also an accomplished actress ("Parenthood").Shelley Mosley, Glendale Community Coll. Lib. Media Ctr., AZ

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.