Dead and Buried (Benny Cooperman Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Howard Engel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 23, 2001 | Series: Benny Cooperman Mysteries

Benny Cooperman is a detective with flair, known and loved as the witty, egg salad-loving, Jewish gentleman sleuth he is the world over. This kinder, gentler detective-funny, smart and squeamish about violence-is the creation of master of the genre Howard Engel, whose enthusiastic fans include not only Ruth Rendell, but also Donald E. Westlake, Julian Symons and Tony Hillerman. His readers stretch now to thirteen countries, from his native Canada to Japan, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, and of course the U.S.A. In his latest case, Benny Cooperman is sure that toxic waste isn't something you should spend too much time thinking about -it just isn't good for your mental health. But when Jack Dowden's widow appeals to Benny to investigate the death of her truck-driving husband, our favorite gumshoe finds himself up to his egg salad-stained lapels in the deadly filth of Kinross Disposals. As he unearths clues-and PCBs-the body count rises, and Benny Cooperman does everything he can not to end up dead and buried.

Engel has once again created a colorful cast of good guys and rogues, another satisfying chapter in the sleuthing life of Benny Cooperman-a mystery guaranteed to challenge novice and seasoned fan alike.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The long-running Benny Cooperman series gets a booster shot with this tale of toxic waste and murder in Grantham, Ontario. A woman whose husband died in a suspicious accident hires P.I. Cooperman to investigate. Cooperman lacks enthusiasm until he finds ties to a former nemesis; then he risks the wrath of a powerful waste disposal company apparently in cahoots with city government. Benny's usual sources of information and others get him deep into other people's boats, books, and eventually, the truth. A necessary purchase for most collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Engel's Benny Cooperman series has attracted a devoted audience in Canada (where the author lives) and Europe, but it has never achieved the recognition it deserves in the U.S. Benny, a private detective in fictional Grantham, Ontario, is a marvelous creation--a hardworking fellow whose innate bad luck just keeps leading him into the wrong cases. (Think Jim Rockford minus the proclivity for getting into fistfights.) This time around, Benny is finagled into investigating a yearold death. A widow is convinced that her husband was murdered by the company he worked for, and Benny, poor fellow, agrees to help her prove it. Naturally, one murder leads to more murders, and soon Benny's own life is on the line. In many ways, the Cooperman novels are similar to other privateeye series--certainly the plots themselves aren't particularly original--but the atmospheric setting and the charmingly idiosyncratic characters make them seem entirely fresh. Recommended for all readers, but especially for fans of privateeye yarns who are tired of the same old thing. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 290 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover (July 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158567155X
• ISBN-13: 978-1585671557
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,629,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good look into people, September 10, 2001

By 

booksforabuck (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead and Buried (Benny Cooperman Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Private Investigator Benny Cooperman likes divorce cases--nice and simple. The last thing he wants is a criminal case--that's what the cops are for. And politics are definitely untouchable. Yet, when a young widow tells him about her ttruc husband's 'accidental' death, he can't help himself from investigating. When he does, he finds a trail of environmental disaster, illegal dumping, and murder.

Author Howard Engel does a wonderful job looking into his characters. In addition to Cooperman who is well developed and interesting, the three generations of men who run the polluting company and may (or may not) have been involved with murder, are especially fascinating. The three continue to battle for control over their companies, and for the affections of the women in their lives.

What Cooperman learns is that someone intends for his secrets to stay buried, even if it means more murder and Cooperman himself is soon in trouble.

This is a highly enjoyable novel largely because of its characters and insights into people. The mystery itself moves a little slowly, but patient readers will find themselves rewarded.

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