I've enjoyed watching "Where the Bears Are", a comedy series about 3 roommates solving murders in Los Angeles' bear community. I wanted to learn more about the show and then found out the actor Rick Copp, who plays Reggie, is also a writer. And I had one of his books in my library.


"An Actor's Guide to Murder" reads like an episode of "Bears", a mystery laced with a mix of action and comedy. Jarrod Jarvis, a former child star, is trying to make a come-back, auditioning for bit parts and walk-ons. At one such audition, he bumps into an old flame, another former child star, Willard. When they were in their teens, their love affair went public and snuffed out their successful careers.


They reconnect and Jarrod decides to throw Willard a birthday party but his former lover dies just before the celebration. Everyone, even Jarrod's current boyfriend Charles, a detective for LAPD, says it was an accident. Willard got drunk, tripped and feel into his pool, and drowned.


Jarrod believes differently. He is convinced Willard's death was no accident. Despite popular opinion and overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Jarrod presses on. Soon he is attacked and threatened, and only then, people begin to take notice.


Copp peppers his story with sarcasm, wit and plenty of pop culture references to keep the reader entertained and interested. I devoured it, reading most of it in one afternoon. I could see it easily becoming an episode of "Where the Bears Are", campy, funny and sexy men. Despite the comedy, it is a good cozy mystery. I'd definitely read more of his works.

Fans of comedy mysteries, cozy mysteries

The witty banter and pop culture references.

Read another of Copp's works.

Rick Copp

It's a light-hearted look at gay life.

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Created Nov 16, 2015 at 8:53am • Submit your own review...