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Cooper Lydell #1
Bullwhacked
Cooper Lydell, retired bull rider and stage-father extraordinaire, is on a journey to find his son in this humorous mystery and caper rolled into one. Strangers are soon following him and murders start occurring as he doggedly pursues his meal ticket.
196 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2012
10 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Cohen
13 books33 followersKathy Cohen currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kathy writes mysteries. Some are humorous cozies and some are whodunnits.
Kathy writes mysteries. Some are humorous cozies and some are whodunnits.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 27, 2013
This time he sure drew a bad one
One that nobody could ride
But by the way he pulled his hat on
You knew he'd be there for the fight
Cooper Lydell's son Tommy is doing great on the bull-riding circuit. For once, money's rollin' in, with the promise of more good things to come. But then, Tommy hops outta his dad's truck, and into a red Ford Mustang driven by some bimbo. And with him goes Cooper's chance of livin' the good life.
Now Cooper's got to bring him back. The trick will be finding him. With dwindling finances, no credit cards and Murphy's Law riding shotgun, that's proving to be no easy task. Especially since somebody seems to want Cooper out of the picture...badly enough to try and kill him a time or two...
I've never been to a rodeo, ridden a mechanical bull, or, thank gawd, eaten a heapin' helpin' of Rocky Mountain Oysters, but I did enjoy all the bull in this book.
Cooper's a likable guy, and you can't help wanting everything to work out for him.
I'm looking forward to following his further misadventures.
So let's have a hand for that young cowboy
And wish him better luck next time
And hope we see him up in Fargo
Or somewhere farther down the line
Lyrics by Lyle Lovett
One that nobody could ride
But by the way he pulled his hat on
You knew he'd be there for the fight
Cooper Lydell's son Tommy is doing great on the bull-riding circuit. For once, money's rollin' in, with the promise of more good things to come. But then, Tommy hops outta his dad's truck, and into a red Ford Mustang driven by some bimbo. And with him goes Cooper's chance of livin' the good life.
Now Cooper's got to bring him back. The trick will be finding him. With dwindling finances, no credit cards and Murphy's Law riding shotgun, that's proving to be no easy task. Especially since somebody seems to want Cooper out of the picture...badly enough to try and kill him a time or two...
I've never been to a rodeo, ridden a mechanical bull, or, thank gawd, eaten a heapin' helpin' of Rocky Mountain Oysters, but I did enjoy all the bull in this book.
Cooper's a likable guy, and you can't help wanting everything to work out for him.
I'm looking forward to following his further misadventures.
So let's have a hand for that young cowboy
And wish him better luck next time
And hope we see him up in Fargo
Or somewhere farther down the line
Lyrics by Lyle Lovett
January 24, 2013
Bullwhacked is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in some time. I can't say as one reviewer did that I laughed out loud until it hurt but I found the book amusing, with some twists and turns of suspense that kept me interested in the plot. But my favorite part was the colorful characters - and the author's skill in making them come alive! I read the book in 2-3 days. It was as close to a page-turner as I've read in awhile, mostly because it kept my interest and kept me amused! I look forward to the next book about Cooper and his gang.
I really debated between giving it a 4 and a 5 - want to call it 4 1/2 because while its not GREATEST book I've read, its definitely fun to read and well worth it and I encourage reading it. Available in paperback and kindle version on Amazon.
Bullwhacked
I really debated between giving it a 4 and a 5 - want to call it 4 1/2 because while its not GREATEST book I've read, its definitely fun to read and well worth it and I encourage reading it. Available in paperback and kindle version on Amazon.
Bullwhacked
July 5, 2014
First of all, Kathy Cohen knows her stuff. This is a setting I knew nothing about and it was such a pleasure to learn from someone who clearly knows it inside out. “What a piece of work is a man” is an exclamation that echoes almost daily in my head; but witnessing the playing out of familiar human hopes and dreams, achievements, disappointments and simple pleasures in the totally unfamiliar world of bull-riding and rodeos deep in one of America’s heartlands was for me a really enjoyable experience.
Secondly, the lady writes at least as well as she rides. This is assured writing: deceptively detailed, accurately observed, clearly heard and strongly felt. I was swept along for the ride – wherever it chose to take me - knowing from page 1 that I was in safe hands. Detail makes a real difference. Just one example: Cooper retired “after he’d had a particularly bad run-in with a bull named Kevin.” As I went further into the book I realised that it was the norm for the bulls to be named. My favourite was the white Brahmin called “Make my Day”.
There is depth too: in the underlying, apparently coincidental imagery. Right after we’re told that what was to have been a short stint as Tommy’s manager eventually became a permanent position for his father, Cooper “swerved to avoid some road kill spattering the centreline and watched for his turn.” Shortly after, a red Mustang “with a blonde at the wheel” shoots out of a gas station in front of them. In Cooper’s opinion “young people – gals particularly – just weren’t good drivers. Thought they were immortal, owned the road.” Not long after that the truck that Cooper had been sold as new starts giving off steam from a split radiator hose and grinds to a halt… Things are often not what they seem on the surface, and life has a habit of flattening you out of nowhere.
Whether the reader is conscious of it or not at the time, the subliminal messages carried by these images concern youth versus age, and not being able to teach a new dog old tricks. It is preparing us for lethal collisions up the line. I really admire that level of skill. It is sadly lacking in so many books, and I’m always grateful when I find a writer who knows how to do it.
By the time I was 20% into the book the only thing I was taking issue with was the author’s description of “Bullwhacked” as a ‘comic’ novel. For me so far the elements of the story that might have been considered ‘comic’ had only served to emphasise the underlying sadness of a story about loss, betrayal, big mistakes, disappointment and… emptiness. If these characters were kings and generals this would be tragedy, with comic relief to help you bear it. Sometimes the sadness in the incidental detail is almost unbearable: like Cooper’s incidental memory of when Tommy was little and used to scream all night in the truck: so he and Darla got a tent and pitched it far enough away so they could hardly hear him.
The more I read the more I was drawn in. I needed to know how this funny/sad comedy of errors finally panned out. I loved the speech rhythms too: clearly audible in the dialogue but also in the writer’s choice of sentence structures. Occasionally I felt like I was riding a sentence like one of those white Brahmin bulls. 68% in I sat on one for 53 words before hitting the main clause…
75% in and the dysfunctional dénouement started to unwind; chaos ensued and it really WAS funny. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? NOT…
Bottom line…? Kathy Cohen is a terrific storyteller and “Bullwhacked” is a heck of a ride!
Secondly, the lady writes at least as well as she rides. This is assured writing: deceptively detailed, accurately observed, clearly heard and strongly felt. I was swept along for the ride – wherever it chose to take me - knowing from page 1 that I was in safe hands. Detail makes a real difference. Just one example: Cooper retired “after he’d had a particularly bad run-in with a bull named Kevin.” As I went further into the book I realised that it was the norm for the bulls to be named. My favourite was the white Brahmin called “Make my Day”.
There is depth too: in the underlying, apparently coincidental imagery. Right after we’re told that what was to have been a short stint as Tommy’s manager eventually became a permanent position for his father, Cooper “swerved to avoid some road kill spattering the centreline and watched for his turn.” Shortly after, a red Mustang “with a blonde at the wheel” shoots out of a gas station in front of them. In Cooper’s opinion “young people – gals particularly – just weren’t good drivers. Thought they were immortal, owned the road.” Not long after that the truck that Cooper had been sold as new starts giving off steam from a split radiator hose and grinds to a halt… Things are often not what they seem on the surface, and life has a habit of flattening you out of nowhere.
Whether the reader is conscious of it or not at the time, the subliminal messages carried by these images concern youth versus age, and not being able to teach a new dog old tricks. It is preparing us for lethal collisions up the line. I really admire that level of skill. It is sadly lacking in so many books, and I’m always grateful when I find a writer who knows how to do it.
By the time I was 20% into the book the only thing I was taking issue with was the author’s description of “Bullwhacked” as a ‘comic’ novel. For me so far the elements of the story that might have been considered ‘comic’ had only served to emphasise the underlying sadness of a story about loss, betrayal, big mistakes, disappointment and… emptiness. If these characters were kings and generals this would be tragedy, with comic relief to help you bear it. Sometimes the sadness in the incidental detail is almost unbearable: like Cooper’s incidental memory of when Tommy was little and used to scream all night in the truck: so he and Darla got a tent and pitched it far enough away so they could hardly hear him.
The more I read the more I was drawn in. I needed to know how this funny/sad comedy of errors finally panned out. I loved the speech rhythms too: clearly audible in the dialogue but also in the writer’s choice of sentence structures. Occasionally I felt like I was riding a sentence like one of those white Brahmin bulls. 68% in I sat on one for 53 words before hitting the main clause…
75% in and the dysfunctional dénouement started to unwind; chaos ensued and it really WAS funny. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? NOT…
Bottom line…? Kathy Cohen is a terrific storyteller and “Bullwhacked” is a heck of a ride!
January 18, 2014
Not knowing anything about rodeos, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book. Turned out to be a great read with lots of twists and turns. And, I did pick up a few things about bulls and cowboys. You'll love it!
May 25, 2013
Retired bull-rider Cooper Lydell is left hunting high and low for his wayward bull-riding son, Tommy, when the kid disappears in a flashy red convertible driven by an even flashier blonde. Cooper throws himself into tracking Tommy down but pretty soon road blocks are appearing in his path and bodies start piling up around him.
Going into this book I had absolutely no knowledge about bull riding but I love learning about new things and new settings for novels. It seemed like it was going to be a fun and humerous mystery novel and it certainly satisfied on all three of those fronts. It had a great cast of characters, from the doggedly determined Cooper to the massively hypochondriac Clyde and from the femme fatale Lana and the seriously ticked off and immensely drunk Sylvia, and enough mystery and mayhem to hold my attention. Considering how unlucky Cooper was in his endeavours to get Tommy back, it was easy to feel sorry for him and to cheer for him in those few shining moments when things actually went the right way from him. I'll certainly be looking out for anything else this author publishes.
I received a free copy of this novel in return for a fair and impartial review.
Going into this book I had absolutely no knowledge about bull riding but I love learning about new things and new settings for novels. It seemed like it was going to be a fun and humerous mystery novel and it certainly satisfied on all three of those fronts. It had a great cast of characters, from the doggedly determined Cooper to the massively hypochondriac Clyde and from the femme fatale Lana and the seriously ticked off and immensely drunk Sylvia, and enough mystery and mayhem to hold my attention. Considering how unlucky Cooper was in his endeavours to get Tommy back, it was easy to feel sorry for him and to cheer for him in those few shining moments when things actually went the right way from him. I'll certainly be looking out for anything else this author publishes.
I received a free copy of this novel in return for a fair and impartial review.
May 30, 2013
What do you get when you've been bullwhipped and bushwhacked at the same time? One very entertaining comic crime novel.
The comic part of "Bullwhacked" is the story itself: A retired rodeo rider's breadwinner, rodeo-riding son is lured away by the most effective lasso known to man, and Dad must find and lure his son back again while trying not to get murdered in the process.
The humor is subtle and a bit ingenious, in that author Kathy Cohen has written "Bullwhacked" as a straight novel. There are none of the obvious gags and nudge-nudge, wink-winks to tell the reader what is supposed to be funny. Some may miss the humor as a result; but Cohen's use of descriptive prose is about perfect, and the reading experience is consistent throughout. This is a very well-written book.
The comic part of "Bullwhacked" is the story itself: A retired rodeo rider's breadwinner, rodeo-riding son is lured away by the most effective lasso known to man, and Dad must find and lure his son back again while trying not to get murdered in the process.
The humor is subtle and a bit ingenious, in that author Kathy Cohen has written "Bullwhacked" as a straight novel. There are none of the obvious gags and nudge-nudge, wink-winks to tell the reader what is supposed to be funny. Some may miss the humor as a result; but Cohen's use of descriptive prose is about perfect, and the reading experience is consistent throughout. This is a very well-written book.
April 7, 2013
After 28 years of rodeo, most of which as a bullfighter and barrel man, I found this book to be a great read. It took me back to the old days and the crazy antics we went through. The author managed to represent a realistic rodeo life and intertwine a great mystery in the process. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
October 20, 2015
Cooper Lydell's son is literally seduced away, disappearing right before Cooper's eyes. You'd think finding him would be easy for Cooper, and it probably would be if people would stop trying to kill him.
My feelings on this book were a little tough to sort out.
On the one hand, the only lol moment for me was an author's error. The mystery is not deep or involved; the main character, Cooper Lydell, tends toward the inept both as a detective and in his personal life, and the story resolution has slight shades of deus ex machina creeping across the page. At times, this book had me wondering if it was indeed either a comedy or a mystery.
On the other hand… I enjoyed the hell out of this one!
Go figure!
Bullwhacked is a nice, light romp through the rodeo circuit with a cast of characters that one would find in a bar with sawdust on the floor and callused hands dipping into bowls of boiled peanuts. If you happen to be ex-military, you may feel just a touch of déjà vu, because you've met boys like these before, and likely, shared a beer or a brawl with them at one time or another. Characters like these are simply enjoyable.
Bullwhacked is not a great mystery or a great comedy, but somehow, if you happen to have the right mindset, you'll realize that Kathy Cohen had dished up some great fun.
Review copy supplied by author.
My feelings on this book were a little tough to sort out.
On the one hand, the only lol moment for me was an author's error. The mystery is not deep or involved; the main character, Cooper Lydell, tends toward the inept both as a detective and in his personal life, and the story resolution has slight shades of deus ex machina creeping across the page. At times, this book had me wondering if it was indeed either a comedy or a mystery.
On the other hand… I enjoyed the hell out of this one!
Go figure!
Bullwhacked is a nice, light romp through the rodeo circuit with a cast of characters that one would find in a bar with sawdust on the floor and callused hands dipping into bowls of boiled peanuts. If you happen to be ex-military, you may feel just a touch of déjà vu, because you've met boys like these before, and likely, shared a beer or a brawl with them at one time or another. Characters like these are simply enjoyable.
Bullwhacked is not a great mystery or a great comedy, but somehow, if you happen to have the right mindset, you'll realize that Kathy Cohen had dished up some great fun.
Review copy supplied by author.
July 12, 2013
More like 3.5 Stars for me (but you can't do that). Nicely written book with interesting subject matter and good characters but it failed to drag me in. I thought the pace dragged a little and some of the descriptive passages were too long. I found myself skipping sections - this may be more a comment on my attention span than the book though!
I'd say that if the blurb interests you, you should definitely try it.
October 16, 2015
What a fun read. Nothing like a bit of humor thrown into a well written mystery story.
Sometimes it's nice to read something not quite so serious.
You got it all pretty much here, a rodeo, rodeo performers, car chases, kidnapping, murder and poor old Cooper who appears to have nothing but bad luck.
If I say much more I will give away to much of the story.
I am so looking forward to following along with Cooper & see what kind of trouble follows him around in the next book.
Sometimes it's nice to read something not quite so serious.
You got it all pretty much here, a rodeo, rodeo performers, car chases, kidnapping, murder and poor old Cooper who appears to have nothing but bad luck.
If I say much more I will give away to much of the story.
I am so looking forward to following along with Cooper & see what kind of trouble follows him around in the next book.
May 19, 2013
I struggled with this book. I found it difficult to get into, I wasn't never really drawn in or unable to put it down.
But, I have nothing against the book, it was well written and actually a good storyline. It just wasn't my usual thing.
I was given a copy of this book in return of my honest review.
But, I have nothing against the book, it was well written and actually a good storyline. It just wasn't my usual thing.
I was given a copy of this book in return of my honest review.
February 11, 2014
sorry, but very boring !
October 22, 2015
It was OK, because I'm a bull riding fan. Otherwise the book didn't really hold my interest.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews