My father always finds corpses

Former child actor Jarrod Jarvis still feels lost 10 years after the death of his husband, Charlie. Friends encourage him to start dating again, but Jarrod is hesitant. Meanwhile, Jarrod and Charlie's daughter, Liv, remains distant. She has a new degree in criminal justice and a boyfriend whom Jarod has never met. He wishes to get closer to his daughter but doesn't know how. When Liv's boyfriend, Zel, is murdered, Jarrod quickly takes action, hoping to put his amateur sleuth skills to good use. He and Liv team up to find the killer, a job that is more complicated than they thought, as many people had motives to murder Zel. Hollis (Poppy Harmon and the Shooting Star), the pen name of screenwriter Rick Copp, creates a wide-ranging cast of characters, from a drunken biker to a former first lady. His story underscores the importance of strong family bonds. The dialogue is witty, and the plot is twisty enough to keep listeners guessing. Narrator Godfrey offers a remarkable range of voices for the many characters, vividly capturing the challenges and worries people face as they grow and change. VERDICT Listeners will enjoy this light yet satisfyingly complex mystery with a focus on family dynamics.--Joanna Burkhardt

A father and daughter team up to solve a murder. With limited success as an adult actor, former child star Jarrod Jarvis has pursued writing and is currently rehearsing his new play, an Agatha Christie--inspired mystery. Following the untimely death of his husband, Charlie, a police detective who succumbed to cancer, Jarrod was left to raise their daughter, Olivia, whose choice of a criminal justice major in college was a tribute to Charlie. Jarrod's savvy friend Kitty Reynolds, who encouraged him to pursue writing and directing--and who happens to be a former first lady of the United States--wants to set him up with her new Secret Service bodyguard, the exceptionally attractive Jim Stratton. Liv's currently dating Zel Cameron, a documentary film student who urges her to find and meet her surrogate mother. Meanwhile, Liv's best friend, Maude, develops romantic feelings for Zel's charming assistant. Liv grows more concerned about the financial motives behind Zel's actions when he reveals that he's located the surrogate, Candy Lithwick. Candy is agreeable enough, but one of her two children harbors suspicions that Liv wants her mother's property, and the other needs Jarrod's assistance in promoting his career. Charlie's brother Brody, a semifamous professional wrestler, arrives seeking refuge in Jarrod's casita. When Zel fails to show up for a dinner where he was supposed to meet Jarrod, an annoyed Liv visits his studio and discovers his lifeless body. Unsatisfied with the police investigation, Jarrod, who's dabbled in detection, embarks with Brody and Liv on his own investigation and learns that Zel's habit of plagiarism made him widely disliked at school. An often humorous mystery replete with questionable decisions, fortunate coincidences, and opportunities for redemption. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.