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53rd out of 187 books
—
133 voters
Death By Sarcasm (Mary Cooper #1)
by
Dani Amore (Goodreads Author)
DEATH BY SARCASM introduces mystery readers to Mary Cooper, a Los Angeles area private detective who masks her true, caring nature with a razor-sharp, heavily sarcastic sense of humor.
In DEATH BY SARCASM, Mary learns that her uncle, a former stand-up comedian has been murdered. She is asked to assist in finding the killer by both the police and family members. Mary quickly...more
In DEATH BY SARCASM, Mary learns that her uncle, a former stand-up comedian has been murdered. She is asked to assist in finding the killer by both the police and family members. Mary quickly...more
Kindle Edition, 170 pages
Published
February 27th 2011
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As they say, so far, so good.
Actually, I'm enjoying this a lot, mostly because I have a fondness for sarcasm and have been known (pretty much my whole life) to say things that most people take the wrong way. In fact, I was reading a quote from Jane Austen the other day which I thought was darkly funny (Austen had commented that "a woman who had just lost her baby in childbirth due to suffering a shock, must have caught a glimpse of her husband [thereby causing it]." Maybe you had to be there, bu...more
Actually, I'm enjoying this a lot, mostly because I have a fondness for sarcasm and have been known (pretty much my whole life) to say things that most people take the wrong way. In fact, I was reading a quote from Jane Austen the other day which I thought was darkly funny (Austen had commented that "a woman who had just lost her baby in childbirth due to suffering a shock, must have caught a glimpse of her husband [thereby causing it]." Maybe you had to be there, bu...more
I like the sarcastic wit but not so much the crass humor and other ribald speech. A bit too unrefined.
I'm reading this one to my husband and he's enjoying it. I need to find a book to read to myself and I keep thinking that I want to order and read the author's next one now but then "oh ya, I'm still reading this one!"
lots of typos. minus 1 star for crudeness and for some parts that were difficult to follow
Even though this is thoroughly ribald, it is humorously so. Much to her chagrin, Mary fi...more
I'm reading this one to my husband and he's enjoying it. I need to find a book to read to myself and I keep thinking that I want to order and read the author's next one now but then "oh ya, I'm still reading this one!"
lots of typos. minus 1 star for crudeness and for some parts that were difficult to follow
Even though this is thoroughly ribald, it is humorously so. Much to her chagrin, Mary fi...more
I really enjoyed reading this one! The humour had lifted the seriousness of ordinary crimi books. It kept me entertained and interested throughout the whole story. I liked Mary's character and her way of thinking, which made me laugh many times. Well written, enjoyable characters, thrilling settings and story. I would definitely read another book from Dani Amore!
After reading this book I had a smile on my face - it reminded me so much of the Stephanie Plum books - the early ones - and after reading the 19th Plum book and being disappointed this was a pleasant surprise.
Mary Cooper is no Stephanie Plum - she's a p.i., not a bounty hunter. She lives in California, not Jersey. She's pretty much a loner while Stephanie has the oddest entourage around her. She's capable, though prone to accidents, while Stephanie still has problems taking in her fugitives.
How...more
Mary Cooper is no Stephanie Plum - she's a p.i., not a bounty hunter. She lives in California, not Jersey. She's pretty much a loner while Stephanie has the oddest entourage around her. She's capable, though prone to accidents, while Stephanie still has problems taking in her fugitives.
How...more
In reading some of the other reviews here, it seems many people thought the sarcasm private investigator Mary Cooper used in Dani Amore's "Death by Sarcasm" was too frequent and too crude. If it is, then God help me, I'm sicker than I'd thought, because I laughed a lot.
Mary Cooper's uncle, Brent Cooper, is found murdered outside an L.A. comedy club. Brent was older, his career in twilight, and the club was certainly not The Comedy Store. Strictly the dregs. Mary and her family gather for the mem...more
Mary Cooper's uncle, Brent Cooper, is found murdered outside an L.A. comedy club. Brent was older, his career in twilight, and the club was certainly not The Comedy Store. Strictly the dregs. Mary and her family gather for the mem...more
Mary Cooper was raised in a family that couldn't communicate without busting the chops of the person they were trying to communicate with. The family was a long line of standup comics, writers and comedy club promoters and they all related with each other in this fashion. Things started getting strange when Mary went to the crime scene of her uncles murder (she was invited by a former boy friend who was a homicide detective). Her quick quips served her well in her vocation as a private investiga...more
Los Angeles private investigator Mary Cooper is armed and dangerous. She also carries a gun. Her primary weapon, however, is her quick wit and razor sharp sarcasm. Be it family, her on-again-off-again boyfriend, a Police Sergeant who’s brought her in for questioning, or even witnesses she’s trying to get information from, no one is safe from Cooper’s withering quips.
Lest you get the idea Cooper’s a total bitch, however, it soon becomes clear that sarcasm is the shield she wields to keep people f...more
Lest you get the idea Cooper’s a total bitch, however, it soon becomes clear that sarcasm is the shield she wields to keep people f...more
Bad, bad, bad. Which is unfortunate, it had opportunity to be a decent read and missed by a mile long. There are certain language usage pet peeves I have and this novel contained ALL of them! What are the odds? Yes, all of them appeared and repeatedly. Example:
"really" or "really, really" - 63 times;
"just" - 207 times;
"like" - 222 times.
Are you kidding me? If that wasn't bad enough, the story follows Mary Cooper, private investigator, sarcastic potty mouth extraordinaire. I have no aversion to f...more
"really" or "really, really" - 63 times;
"just" - 207 times;
"like" - 222 times.
Are you kidding me? If that wasn't bad enough, the story follows Mary Cooper, private investigator, sarcastic potty mouth extraordinaire. I have no aversion to f...more
Comedians run in the family…
Mary Cooper, sometime private investigator has a case she doesn’t really want: someone killed her comedian uncle, Brent Cooper, and soon starts targeting his old friends. So now Mary has to find out who’s behind it - before they kill her, too.
DEATH BY SARCASM is the second book by Dani that I’ve read and I have to say I like her style. Her main character Mary is a sarcastic bitch and not one you’d want to cross - tenacious doesn’t begin to describe her. And she inheri...more
Mary Cooper, sometime private investigator has a case she doesn’t really want: someone killed her comedian uncle, Brent Cooper, and soon starts targeting his old friends. So now Mary has to find out who’s behind it - before they kill her, too.
DEATH BY SARCASM is the second book by Dani that I’ve read and I have to say I like her style. Her main character Mary is a sarcastic bitch and not one you’d want to cross - tenacious doesn’t begin to describe her. And she inheri...more
When I scanned the reviews of Dani Amore's book Death by Sarcasm I saw some one-star reviews that complained about the fact that the heroine is too sarcastic. Excuse me, but have you looked at the title? Still, I wondered, will this book be too ascerbic for me? After all, I'm the cheerful type.
Well, it didn't take long to recognize a pro at work. Dani Amore has crafted a slick, smart and funny Los Angeles mystery that stands with the leaders of this genre. Every mystery-writer and his sister is...more
Well, it didn't take long to recognize a pro at work. Dani Amore has crafted a slick, smart and funny Los Angeles mystery that stands with the leaders of this genre. Every mystery-writer and his sister is...more
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Pretty average as far as mass-market mysteries go. I didn't enjoy the main character's sense of humor at all, which made her grate on my nerves. Had she had a sense of humor more in line with mine, I probably would have appreciated the whole thing a tad more. Also, a couple of loose ends weren't wrapped up. I mean, I'm pretty sure we all know who the naked old men in Richard Nixon masks were, but that wasn't clarified. Also, the book had naked old men in Richard Nixon masks. Attempting to rape s...more
Dani Amore writes the LA I know and love. The hidden places the tourists don't see, the places that give La La Land more character than you can find in all of Manhattan and Jersey combined. You got an all time smart ass in a rickety bus full of cussing and caring and flatulence and has-beens and the clubs that promise laughter and give you stale flop sweat instead and just-plain-crazy killers and an injured kitten with a hidden heart attacking the world with claws of puns and bad jokes and (yes)...more
1 like · like · see review
The humor in this book is crass, but I was laughing all the way through. The main character, Mary, is endearing in her humor that fends off having to deal with any serious situations or emotions. Mary is looking for the murderer of her uncle, a stand-up comic. Lots of comedians from her uncle's group are meeting the same fate, and Mary wants answers.
I struggled with believing all of the deaths could happen, and the number of times Mary ends up at a murder scene and involved without being arreste...more
I struggled with believing all of the deaths could happen, and the number of times Mary ends up at a murder scene and involved without being arreste...more
i do like female protagonists. and i don't NEED to like them. but it sure makes it easier.
i get that our heroine (or is that sexist? hero? whatever.) is funny and sarcastic - look at the title. but all that hilarity has totally stunted her emotionally. pushing people away with her sarcasm (none of which is particularly clever, btw) doesn't make for great relationships. and frankly, as a reader she totally got on my nerves. so i can only imagine what her fellow characters must think.
that said, i'...more
i get that our heroine (or is that sexist? hero? whatever.) is funny and sarcastic - look at the title. but all that hilarity has totally stunted her emotionally. pushing people away with her sarcasm (none of which is particularly clever, btw) doesn't make for great relationships. and frankly, as a reader she totally got on my nerves. so i can only imagine what her fellow characters must think.
that said, i'...more
Eh. This will shock anyone who knows me, but really, there IS such a thing as too much sarcasm. I mean, if every thought you have, just to yourself, is sarcastic, you might have a wee bit of a problem. It also was so oddly placed at times... anyhow, beyond that, the mystery itself was interesting enough, most of the plot turns pretty predictable but not entirely. Good diversion, but nothing I'll remember in a few months, I'm sure.
(And just how old is the writer? She kept writing about these dec...more
(And just how old is the writer? She kept writing about these dec...more
Death by Sarcasm is a terrific read: a brilliant cast of characters, great dialogue, biting wit, plenty of action … and revenge. What more could a reader want? Mary Cooper is a wonderful creation: spiky and acerbic, she wears her one-liners like armour and yet can’t disguise the fierce loyalty and vulnerability that are also elements of her nature. I hope this isn’t the only time we see her in action. Cooper is something special - mouthy, brash, intelligent, tenacious, brave and very, very funny...more
Dani has broken with the traditional crime thriller mould and has written a female lead character that every reader will love; Mary is a sharp tongued heroine who says what she thinks and holds no punches. The story is fast paced, with some very funny one liners and still keeps the reader guessing until the end. I loved it; I loved the story, the writing style and the characters.
Come on Dani you are a talented writer, get pen on paper and write more.
This is the first novel by Dani Amore, who can...more
Come on Dani you are a talented writer, get pen on paper and write more.
This is the first novel by Dani Amore, who can...more
Dani Amore has written a detective story that is not only a page-turner complete with clever twists, turns, and red herrings, but Death by Sarcasm is also a lot of fun to read. P.I., Mary Cooper could be a stand-up comedian if her line of work didn't happen to be so darn deadly. There's no doubt that Cooper can seem offensive, but the truth is that she's actually taking dead aim at some of the ugly attitudes that too many people harbor...while also taking aim at the criminals in the case.
I absolutely loved this book! I was surprised by the wide variations of the reviews until I remembered how very subjective humor is. If you like cracklin' wit and snappy comebacks, this is the book for you. It definitely is the book for me! It's easy to get lost in the humor, but I also want to comment that this is a solid mystery and carries the requisite twists and turns and red herrings. This series is a keeper and I'll be coming back for more.
1 like · like · see review
Old stand up comics start dying and our private eye starts looking around. with many twists and turns the story stays interesting as Mary tracks down the killer(s) It is a typical who done it with a humerus amount of sarcasm added for laughs. I have to say that the rape scene feels as though it were shoe horned in. after the conclusion and all the pieces are put together you can see how it is relevant. yet it was out of place.
The female lead character reminded me alot of the female lead Mary Shannon on the TV show "In Plain Sight". She's fun and lively and smart-alecky, with ba&*s of steel, but with a softer side too. Enjoyed the book - fun read. By author Dani Amore, WINNER OF THE 2011 INDEPENDENT BOOK AWARD FOR CRIME FICTION
"Dani Amore is a sensation among Kindle owners who love fast-paced thrillers."
--Mystery Tribune
"Dani Amore is a sensation among Kindle owners who love fast-paced thrillers."
--Mystery Tribune
I could easily relate to Mary. She's fun, quirky, witty, but also has a vulnerable side that she covers up with sarcasm. She's also a good PI, investigating the death of her uncle. It's a fun, fast-paced mystery wrapped up with a lot of humor. Would love to read another Mary Cooper mystery.
While DEATH BY SARCASM is very conventional in its form (an old-school hardboiled P.I novel), its fresh approach (a female protagonist, addicted to sarcasm) puts it ahead of the pack. The plot might seem deceiving at first (I thought I had solved it 40% in), but it managed to keep me guessing and suprise me by the end. Smart novel and already rolling on a formula. I could see (and would read) twenty of those and maybe more. Very enjoyable.
Hard boiled with enough sarcasm and street language to wilt the wallpaper but the story and the characters come through loud and clear. The lead character has layers of complexity, rough edges and vulnerable spots enough to make her very compelling. The story twisted and turned and finally...well, you;ll have to read it for yourself,
Kick-ass crime novel featuring the ultimate smart-ass private investigator. This book is like the Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum series, with twice the attitude, twice the violence, and a whole lot more nastiness. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Was intrigued by the title but turned off by the unrelenting, crude, sexual nature of the sarcasm from every single character in the book. The plot was unlikely and fairly loose. Not my thing.
I'd probably give it more of a 2 1/2. It was your basic cookie cutter murder mystery. The main character was borderline annoying with always having to have the quick wit and the comebacks. Enjoyable and a quick read.
If you don't like coarse language and adult situations don't read this book. However, the book is a good story with a well written plot. The humor and sarcasm add a great deal to the book. It was well done.
Funny, good story. It made me laugh and I completely appreciated the sarcastic level of banter from the main character.
Only four chapters in... this is AWESOME!! Dani has an incredible wit and sense of humor... I LOVE this book!
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Dani Amore is a novelist living in Los Angeles, California. She blogs at her website, daniamore.com
Follow her on Twitter: @authordaniamore
More about Dani Amore...
Follow her on Twitter: @authordaniamore
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