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A struggling '80s child
actor on the brink of a career revival, Jarrod Jarvis
shelves his audition schedule to solve the murder
of a good friend in screenwriter Copp's pumped-up,
promising debut.
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When a psychic delivers a "death
card" premonition,
Jarvis is only mildly perturbed until he discovers childhood
friend Willard Hornsby face-down in his lap pool. The "obsessed
conspiracy theorist" in Jarrod takes over and he's
convinced of foul play. The "Sherlock Holmes of
West Hollywood" picks up lots of clues during a secret
search of Willard's home, but becomes the newest darling
of the tabloids when he gets himself arrested. He's also
in hot water with his police officer boyfriend, Charlie,
who wants Jarrod to drop the private-dick act. More clues
lead to a deadly tattooed hustler and to Willard's mother,
Tamara, whose companionship with hunky, 20-something Spiro
raises more than eyebrows.
Both the public disclosure of Willard's HIV status and
the murder of his therapist pile on even more suspects.
Another psychic vision leads to a showdown in Palm Springs
and a surprise network sitcom gig for Jarrod. Though Copp
stays well within standard gay-fluff boundaries, the story
has considerable zest and enough spritely humor to keep
readers glued and giggling.
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