The unique premise of Edited Out, the second book in the A Mysterious Detective series by E. J. Copperman, is once again fueled by the fictional (?) detective, Duffy, brought to life. While he continues to disagree with Rachel (the author with such a vivid imagination that her character insists he's come to life) that he's a product of her imagination, and not a man who disappeared five years earlier just as Duffy appeared in person. As Duffy sets out to prove Rachel wrong (she continues to insist that he's not her functional character), he cajoles her into helping him prove how he surmises he came into existence.

With the subtleties of Duffy’s wry humor, a cast of questionable (literally) characters, a plethora of red herrings, and twist and turns, the pages couldn't turn fast enough before the “Who Done It” was revealed. Which came as a complete surprise...I definitely did not see that coming...confirming for me this author's writing genius. My only regret once finishing the book was that there haven't been any further Duffy stories to look forward to.

This ARC was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.

This series is fun, if not a bit different. Mystery author Rachel Goldman is trying to wrap her head around the fact that her main character, Duffy Madison,appears to have become a real person. Not only is he real, but he is an investigator who works on missing person cases. In their quest to either prove or disprove that he is really Duffy Madison who only appeared five years ago, they find themselves looking for a man named Damien Mosley who disappeared five years earlier, and has an eerie physical resemblance to Duffy. All this has also affected Rachel, in that she is having a problem writing her next book as her mind keeps thinking about what the real Duffy might do.

Protagonist Rachel narrates this story. There is some humour there as she is often writing a book in her head and knows what Duffy is going to say or do next. She also speaks directly to the reader as if we are part of the story. Duffy is a bit of a caricature. He is a character that is solely focused on his goal, almost as if he has blinders on and definitely frustrates Rachel. The secondary characters are also well developed and there is potential for some of them to become more important in future stories. I'm interested see what mystery our main characters are confronted with next, but more importantly to gather more clues to Duffy's true identity. There are parts of this story that I really enjoyed, but others, such as some of the repetitiveness, that turned me off. I am not sure if there will be another in this series, but I would certainly give it a shot as there is a lot of good stuff in this book.

Rachel and Duffy are back. Really enjoyed the first book, and this one is just as good if not better. Rachel is a mystery writer, and meets her character Duffy in the flesh. A good murder mystery, and a fun book. Highly recommend, but encourage you to read the first one before this one. Helps.

Honestly, this was one of the best books I've read in a while (and I've read some good ones)! This is the second book in this particular series and I have not read the first. There is one mystery that it sounds like started in the first book and as of the end of this book, still hasn't completely been resolved. But I was still very enthralled in this book and I don't think having not read the first was a major issue. I would certainly like to go back and read it to fill in all of the little details though.

Anyway, what hooked me right off the bat was the pure uniqueness of the concept and also the humor. I'd definitely classify this as a cozy, but it's definitely not your traditional cozy either. The plot (without giving away too much) is that the main character is a writer and essentially, the character she's written about for years appears to actually exist in real life. And they work together to solve the mystery in this book while also trying to figure out the mystery of is this person really the character she's been writing about? There's more to it than that but again, trying not to give too much away.

The other thing I love about this book and about the author's writing style is the humor. Yes, some of the things they get caught up seem a little over the top I guess but really, that's part of the fun. There is some great humor in this book as well as great suspense and mystery that makes it just 100% fun all the way through! There were some lines that literally had me laughing out loud!

I do not hesitate to give this book 5 stars and will definitely continue to follow this series. Can't wait to see where it leads next!

I have read, and enjoyed, books in EJ Copperman's Aspergers Mystery series so I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately I was disappointed. In the Aspergers Mystery books the main character has autistic traits which define the way he thinks and influence his investigations. The way the books are written somewhat reflects this, and it works. However, I found the style of writing in this book to be similar, which didn't work so well. I liked the premise of a character coming to life, but I thought it could have been handled better. I also found the actual murder investigation plot a little thin and the denouement scene on the bridge not very believable (in fact, I was going to give the book three stars until that point). It didn't help that the narrator is an author who keeps reiterating that she is having trouble with the novel she is currently writing - which only serves to highlight the inadequacies in the text you have before you!

Who is Duffy Madison and what does he do for a living? Who is Angela? Where are they? I love how Duffy is sort of lost in his own little world. That was funny to me. Do we ever find out what Angela is trying to talk to him about? Who is Paula Sessions? I find Rachel Goldman endearing shortly after meeting her through the book for whatever reason. I can't quite put my finger on it. What happens when your fiction suddenly becomes your reality? Who is Ben? What does he do for a living? I like Rachel's friend Brian. What happens that a Defense Attorney named Nelson Sanders has to be called for assistance? I have to say that the plot line in this book had me so captured when I woke up at 12:23 a.m. needing to use the restroom that I started reading since I fell asleep reading when I was lying in bed to read after a very long day at work and I could not put it down until almost 4 a.m. This mystery was nothing like other mystery books I have read and that kept me very interested in it. I am going to have to find more books written by this author, because I had such a fun time reading this one! You're going to have to read this book to see what I'm talking about when I say fiction becomes reality. That's what hooked me on this book!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Rachel is a reasonably successful crime novelist who is struggling to write her latest book. Matters are not helped when her lead character, Duffy Madison, enters her life and messes up her creative juices as well as her head. Duffy cannot recall anything prior to five years and is convinced Rachel created him. It is very confusing for both Rachel and the reader. Is Duffy crazy or might there be something to his theory no matter how mad it sounds.
In trying to prove Duffy had a life before she created her character, they go in search of someone who just might be him who has disappeared five years ago. What they find is two murders and few answers to the big question: is Duffy a live figment of her imagination or not? It is a mystery.
Rachel is a great character, self deprecating, snarky and sassy. She is a lot of fun. Duffy is a character in the broadest sense of the word. He is smart and intuitive about finding missing people but walks around in a miasma. He doesn't quite connect with the people around him, almost like a fictional character who suddenly must interact with real people. The two of them make a great team even if Rachel has her doubts.
It is an entertaining romp that would make an engaging summertime read.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.

This was a quirky, fun read that I really enjoyed reading. I enjoy the characters in the book and the sarcastic main character makes for an entertaining read. The premise that a character from a series Rachel writes has come to life was fascinating. The mystery in the story weaves into the main plot line well as they search for both a murderer and the truth about where Duffy really came from.  Figuring out what the real deal is with Duffy is enough to keep me reading the series but luckily I really enjoy the books! I recommend starting with the first book in the series though. This isn’t really a good series to jump into the middle of. If you enjoy these books you should check out the Haunted Guesthouse series by the same author.

Very clever! It's a toss up as to who you'll like more- Duffy or Rachel. Either way, Copperman has written an entertaining cozy with two good characters ( ;) in the lead. The underlying mystery is less interesting than the interaction between these two, both of whom are funny in their own ways. Thanks to net galley for the ARC- I had not read the first book (and was fine with that) but I'm definitely going to look for the next one in the series.

Edited Out by E.J. Copperman is the second book in A Mysterious Detective Mystery series. Rachel Goldman lives in Adamstown, New Jersey and writes the Duffy Madison mystery series. She is working on her latest book, but she is having difficulties. Ever since meeting a man named Duffy Madison she keeps confusing her make-believe character with the real man. It is affecting her writing in a very negative way. Rachel has been avoiding Duffy’s calls for the last few months. Rachel’s assistant, Paula points that avoiding him may not be the best tactic. Rachel believes Duffy is really Damien Mosley who disappeared five years prior. It just so happens that Duffy appeared five years ago. He has no memory of his life before that time. Rachel calls Duffy and he shows up ready to explore Damien’s life. Another investigation was not what Rachel had in mind, but maybe she can prove to Duffy that she did not create him. Is she letting Duffy lead her into another dangerous situation? Is there a chance that Duffy was created from Rachel’s imagination? You need to read Edited Out to find out the answers!

I had a difficult time reading Edited Out (I am surprised that I finished it). I thought the book to be slow paced and tedious. I had a hard time believing that a rational woman believes that a man sprang forth from her imagination. A Mysterious Detective Mystery series is not a paranormal series, so I did not understand this logic (am I overthinking it?). Edited Out is the second book in the series and, in this case, you really do need to read Written Off first. Otherwise, you will be utterly lost and confused. Edited Out is the written in the first person from Rachel’s point-of-view. Rachel’s character feels the need to explain Duffy’s thinking, lack of emotions, and actions as if the reader will not understand it from the reading the narrative (all throughout the book). Rachel seems to be surprised by Duffy’s actions, the way he talks, thinks, etc. Even though he is acting exactly how she wrote him (that would be a little freaky at first). I give Edited Out 2 out of 5 stars (I did not enjoy this one). I found many items to be repeated frequently throughout the book. I did not need to be told so many times that writer’s block was “not a thing”, that Rachel is not an investigator, why Duffy lacks emotion, and information about the Tappan Zee Bridge. At the end of the book, readers are still left wondering if Duffy is a real “human” or he sprang to life five years ago. Will this continue throughout the whole series? Will we get one new puzzle piece per book? I wish the author had made this a paranormal series. It would have been entertaining to read about a character that sprang to life based on an author’s books.

I have never before read anything like this! A unique and somewhat perplexing story line.

Rachel Goldman writes a mystery series with a detective named Duffy Madison. The problem is that it seems that when she writes something, it actually happens to a real-life detective named, you guessed it, Duffy Madison. But the biggest problem with Duffy (the real one) is that he has no past and seems to have sprung to life full grown about the same time she began writing.

Duffy (the real one) has visited Rachel several times to try to solve the mystery of who he might be since he has no memory of his own past. He believes that he is actually her creation. Rachel, being more pragmatic, is sure he is someone who has experienced amnesia for some unknown reason, but cannot fathom why he is living the life of her fictional detective.

She has a possible lead of who he might be: Damien Mosely. So, reluctantly, she and Duffy (the real one) set off learn everything they can about Damien who, it seems, disappeared bout the time that Duffy appeared.

And along the way there is murder and mayhem, of course.

The characters are all quirky and well developed. I love all of Rachel's commentary of what is happening. I spent a lot of time laughing while reading. The premise is so unique that I was taken in immediately. I spend a lot of time pondering how this could be. Certainly writers can't bring life out of nothing more than ideas.

There is a previous book that I now really want to read. And I am hoping that there will be more in this series.

In fact, I liked this one so much, I think I will reread it, something I almost never do.

I enjoyed listening to the first book in the series. I was eager to read the second one as I hoped for an explanation to mysteriously alive fictional character. A search for his identity took many twists and turns and kept me guessing. I am curious as to where this author will take her character next.

It was okay but the writer lost some of that character chemistry. The mystery was well written and thought out ,yet I didn't and could relate too the characters.

Rachel Goldman writes mystery novels starring a hyper-observant (except in matters relating to his personal life) private detective named Duffy Madison. If anyone had asked her six months prior to the events of Edited Out how she felt about her writing career, she would have expressed moderate satisfaction with the popularity and financial situation of her work, as well as a high level of enthusiasm regarding the future of her main character. However, as Edited Out begins, Rachel is experiencing extreme difficulty getting started on her new novel, not least because six months previously a man turned up on her doorstep claiming to be Duffy Madison in the flesh.

The real-life Duffy Madison certainly bears a strong resemblance to Rachel’s creation – he is also a private detective who specialises in missing persons cases, although he works for the [real] Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office rather than the [fictional] Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. He claims to have no memories older than five years and believes that he simply popped into existence when Rachel started to write the Duffy Madison series. Despite quickly jumping to the logical conclusion that the man is crazy, Rachel gets to know him better (he really is known to his colleagues as Duffy Madison and he really is a top-notch investigator), helps him with a missing persons case and becomes embroiled in the machinations of a serial killer. This all happened in Written Off, the first book by E.J. Copperman featuring Rachel Goldman and Duffy Madison, which hopefully also explains why everyone is so causal about the idea that super-serious Duffy believes himself to be a fictional character who has stepped off the pages of a book and into the real world.

Back to Edited Out and Rachel can’t write about her Duffy because thoughts about the flesh and blood Duffy keep intruding upon her creative process. Would Duffy really behave how she wants him to? If something bad happens to Duffy during the story will the real Duffy be affected? It’s all very odd and it’s no wonder that her writing is suffering. It’s also no surprise that Rachel isn’t keen to hear from Duffy again, although when he asks for her help with another missing persons case, she feels that she can’t really refuse. This time, Duffy is looking for Damien Mosley, a man who might be able to shed some light on Duffy’s own past.

The disappearance of Damien Mosley is actually an interesting mystery, although weaving it in with concerns about Duffy’s former life (Did he actually used to be Damien Mosley? Was he involved in Damien’s disappearance? Were the two former school mates?) rather dilutes the intrigue. E.J. Copperman provides a good selection of suspects in the shape of Damien’s friends and acquaintances, all of whom seem to have something to hide. Rachel Goldman is a likeable character and a good everywoman detective figure, but it’s never really clear what she thinks about Duffy’s claims and why, if she considers him to be mad, she wants to join him in investigations and worries about the impact of her writing on him. Duffy himself (the real one that is) just isn’t fleshed out enough as a character.

Overall, Edited Out is a pretty good mystery novel, which would probably be more highly rated if it either focused more on the Damien Mosley case or offered greater closure on the Duffy Madison identity problem. It’s probably not best approached as a standalone novel, since Duffy’s acceptance of his supposed prior life as a fictional character is perplexing without knowing the events featured in Written Off, but it is likely to be enjoyed by fans of the first book.

This is the second book in the Mysterious Detective Series. I recommend reading the first book as it is excellent however this book can read as a stand alone.
This is a new fresh cozy series premises and it is delightfully good fun to read.
Rachel Goldman is a mystery writer who has the unique problem of her fictional detective Duffy coming to life. The detective has no memory of his life prior to her books. As Rachel works with him on a case against her better judgment , she realizes he is her character brought to life. Duffy is involved in a missing person case that he involves Rachel with and soon turns sinister with his arrest. Together they join forces to solve the mystery and free Duffy from suspicion. The dialogue is witty, the mystery is fun and a good sleuth. I highly recommend Edited Out for your reading enjoyment. it is fresh, unique and a intelligent mystery.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had not read book one of the series and that put me at a disadvantage. The mystery within a mystery angle is intriguing but I wasn't fully invested in the characters and their dysfunctional relationship is the key to this series. The author added enough twists to keep me engaged while the reluctant partners worked to solve the mystery but I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. I plan to read Written Off before book three is published with the hope that I will care enough to continue the series.

This is a great book as long as you don't over think the premise. I spent the first few chapters thoroughly confused because I was so focused on figuring out who Duffy was rather than focusing on the actual story. After that, I found that it was an amazing story. In trying to figure out who Duffy is, they look into an old missing person case that might have ties to Duffy's past (if he even has a past). The mystery ends up slightly convoluted but very interesting, and it is hard not to get caught up in Duffy's enthusiasm.

Edited Out continues the clever premise begun in the Mysterious Detective series with the first book, Written Off. Rachel Goldman is a middling successful writer of mysteries who lives and works in New Jersey. Her mystery series features a Sherlock-like protagonist named Duffy Madison. Imagine her surprise when a man who looks like her fictional detective shows up at her door claiming to be the living embodiment of Duffy Madison. He calls himself Duffy Madison and has no memory of a life prior to five years before when her first book was published. He even works as a consultant for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. Rachel justifiably thinks that he is nuts but neither she, her terrifyingly efficient assistant Paula, or her friend Ben in the prosecutor's office can prove that he isn't Duffy Madison. But since he saved her life in the first book she is willing to roll with it, up to a point.

Rachel is working on her next book and having problems. Inspiration seems to have dried up and she is avoiding Duffy. That avoidance ends when Duffy contacts her about a man named Damien Mosley who went missing in Poughkeepsie, NY five years ago. Duffy thinks that Mosley might be the answer to his real identity. She, Duffy and Ben head off to Poughkeepsie to find out about the missing man. Their questions lead the local police to think that the missing Damien was actually murdered and Duffy is the most likely suspect. Or is someone setting him up for it?

E.J. Copperman has an easy and humorous writing style. I particularly like Rachel's "Jersey Girl" vibe and her absolute insistence on writing at least 1000 words a day, even if she thinks they are garbage. I can't predict where the series is going but it is an entertaining, quick read.

Thanks to Crooked Lane and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Edited Out, it is mot your typical cozy mystery. I loved the relationship between Rachel and Duffy. Rachel not knowing if she loved Duffy or wanted to strangle him. I was lost in the beginning of the book, the transition from Duffy finding a body in the park to Rachel trying to figure if she created Duffy in real life or if he was a man pretending to be Duffy for someone reason, was confusing. I would say that you need to read previous books to fully understand the beginning of the book.. I enjoyed the mystery of finding out who Duffy was has much as the murder. Edited Out draws you into the relationships of the characters and the mystery. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a quirky side.

Rachel has a successful career as the writer of the Duffy Madison series but has a hard time understanding how he has appeared as a real life flesh and blood person. I didn't read book one of this series and had no problems enjoying this book. This author has many books and several other interesting series I want to try. I enjoy the mystery solving within this story and the interaction of the characters as they try to comprehend the unusual circumstances surrounding Duffy's appearance.