Zen and the City of Angels [Hardcover]

Elizabeth M. Cosin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 1999

Please add to the decription that "Zen and the City of Angels" is currently on the L.A. Times Bestseller List (November 21, 1999).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tough chick PI Zen Moses may have lost a lung to cancer, but her heart is as big as greater L.A. So when her lawyer and drinking buddy Jim Gray asks her to locate an unnamed client's missing dog as a "favor," she agrees, despite certain dark suspicions. Sure enough, pursuit of the pet leads Zen right into a trap: as she cases a famous animal trainer's home, she spies Jim being tortured by her old nemesis, shady sports agent Eddie Cooke, whose henchmen suddenly shoot her up with a drug. When she comes to, she discovers a bludgeoned, faceless body beside herAquite possibly Eddie's. The LAPD rushes to accuse Zen of the murder, but before they can arrest her, her new pal Sherrie Sangar kidnaps her at gunpoint, then tries to get the LAPD to shoot them both. Despite her many travails, it's hard to connect with Zen, with her unfathomable loyalty to dangerous friends and her flat, monotonous narrative voice. (On the climactic car chase: "We raced onward though the deserted streets of west Los Angeles. Bobo knew the city better and the Range Rover had the bigger engine. It was only a matter of time before we put enough space between us and them. We finally lost them down a side street, where he cut the lights and came to a stop.") Various drab characters drift in and out of the aimless plot, which labors to a big finish involving Nigerian drug lords, a gun-toting gossip columnist and an apocalyptic fire. Cosin attempts to build on the success of the earlier Zen and the Art of Murder, but this sequel runs out of gas on the freeway. Author tour. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In her second adventure (following Zen and the Art of Murder), Zen Moses, a rough-and-tumble private eye and cancer survivor, does a favor for an old friend (a cop-turned-lawyer) that lands her in deep trouble. Zen begins by locating a valuable stolen dog but winds up being framed for murder. Meanwhile, someone nearly kills Zen's friend, who's hiding a deep, dark secret. Adding insult to injury, a depressed neighborhood woman's suicidal escapade gets Zen shot. Despite her wound, Zen continues to investigate a way out of the frame. An action-filled plot, a tough but lovable heroine, and familiar LA settings recommend this to most collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (October 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312206119
• ISBN-13: 978-0312206116
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,683,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zen is back and better, November 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Zen and the City of Angels (Hardcover)

Installment number two of the Zen series keeps up the tradition of a witty, fast reading book with plenty of twists and turns, including the first to my knowledge time that a detective locks themselves inside a major home appliance. THis time Zen is looking for a friends lost dog and the search takes both her and the reader far and wide. A must read for mystery lovers. As before, I can't wait for the next one to come out.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read this, nitpickers, February 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: ZEN AND THE CITY OF ANGELS (Mass Market Paperback)

Maybe the author could use a better editor, but still the MINOR nitpicks didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book. This isn't a police procedural. It's FICTION. It's not REALITY. So get a life, people. Ninety percent of the books in this genre don't have anything to do with reality. I thought Zen and the Art of Murder was much better than City of Angels, but I still enjoyed both books. Zen is a unique character and for those of you who want to compare this book to reality, Zen lives behind a pet cemetery. Clearly, the author wasn't going for real life settings. I guess most people didn't get this. Too bad. You're missing out.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This time, it's personal!, November 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: ZEN AND THE CITY OF ANGELS (Mass Market Paperback)

Zen takes on a case looking for a dog, a pawn in a high stakes divorce, as a favor to a friend. Pretty soon she wakes up with a bad headache and a bludgeoned dead guy and her friend is in the hospital with a coma. Is she sure she is innocent? Was she framed? Where does Noodles the dog fit in the picture? This book has great plot, interesting characters and lots of atmosphere. Zen is smart, determined and wise. I like her and can't wait for the next adventure.