“Fingerprints and Facelifts”–a new mystery series

Copp, Rick. “Fingerprints and Facelifts”, Kensington, 2007.

A New Mystery Series

Amos Lassen

One genre of literature that never gets old is the mystery. Mysteries make you think and keep you entertained. Get ready for a new fresh and irreverent series from Kensington Books and written by Rick Copp. I promise that the new “Fingerprints and Facelifts” will keep you happy—even if you are not a mystery fan. It is retro and it is great. The L.A. Dolls are our heroes and they are full of guts and fire. The three women are retired private investigators. The girls, Tess, Dani and Claire worked together when they were in their twenties and they reunite to solve a major case. Claire’s son is getting married and they all come to the festivities. Tess, once quite a lover, has her new Brazilian boy toy with her. Dani is a bit undone as she was passed over as police chief of the San Francisco Police Department. (The other cops called her “Mom”). Claire is now a suburban house wife and mother who has kept all the mementos of her life as a P.I. in the basement. They have had misunderstandings in the past but they still share a loving bond especially when there is a case to be solved. When their children are targeted by someone, they realize it is time to work together again.

It seems that someone from their past wants them to pay for what they did to him. The L.A.Dolls come together again but the times have changed. Life is different in many ways and the girls are not so young anymore. What they lack in youth, however, they have gained in wisdom. Like fine wine, they have aged and gotten better. Additionally this case is very personal—it concerns their children. Reading about them getting back to their old lives is uplifting and they have a great time doing so. However, they are not alone at getting back into the game. Someone else has been plotting revenge for twenty-five years and will stop at nothing. The situation is such for Claire, Tess, and Dani is that their first case back together could be their last.

When they were younger, they were very different. Claire was soft-spoken and elegant, Tess was wild and sexy and Dani was a sharply focused true leader. They must resurrect their professionalism to protect their kids.

The book is fast-paced and loaded with great mystery. It is also suspenseful to the nth degree. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It is a great summer read and as can be expected from Kensington Books am overall pleasure. Rick Copp, the author, writes beautifully and never allows you to lose interest. You will be turning pages so fast that you will finish the book in no time. But since this is the first of a series, we have more to look forward to.