I need to lead with this: I know this is book 1 of the series.

I know we're trying to get to the "good stuff" so we're just getting the plot going. Some series do this over the first several novels, we're doing this is a couple hundred pages, so things have to move fast.

But I feel the story suffered for it. I think characters are just slapped together and decisions are made because "plot needs it to happen".

Brother and sister are adopted because their parents allegedly died. Kids grow up with their aunt, who is really just a friend of their parents. Kids are rechargeable, they have to plug into get electricity to stay alive... and their names are Fran and Ken Stein. A bit on the nose, but fine. They get caught up in a convoluted story that is actually ended really well, I was impressed by how many plot holes were sealed in a few sentences, honestly well done.

But there were too many plot "jumps" for me to ignore. Like how one character is always thinking with his dick and hitting on woman and "talking to an English professor" so he's using SAT words to sound smarter but he never actually talks to a woman then entire story? Or how one character knocks out a henchman on a stairwell in the dark next to the villain, and the villain doesn't hear this 5 feet away? Or how the other one tells a life-changing secret to someone because they "deserve it" after being in the story for 6 pages and literally not doing anything for the character; like, imagine telling someone your most dangerous secret that could get you sent to prison on the third date? A bunch of things like that, just not something people do.

Maybe the second book is better now that the story is rolling, but this was too thin for my tastes. If you want a light read, maybe something for a beach day or plane flight, this isn't a bad choice. Just not my tastes.

This really was unexpected. Fran and Ken, a brother sister team who specialize in finding birth parents have a ver unusual back story (no spoilers). Fran narrates what happens when they are hired to find a Gibson Poinsettia ukulele. Things go off the rails, there's murders, there's an NYPD detective- basically a lot packed into a relatively slim novel, I liked Fran's voice but the rest of this was more than a little screwy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm curious where Copperman plans to take this next.

I am never disappointed by this writer. A great new series with engaging characters and a top notch whodunit.
I cannot wait to read further books in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

So fun! I'm a sucker for a lighthearted detective story and this nails it the whole way down. The primary mystery that the detective siblings are tackling is interesting with solid stakes. And there is an added mystery around the parentage of the detectives themselves. I am actively looking forward to more from this series.

This is a fun and entertaining affair from EJ Copperman, with elements of the paranormal and cosiness, featuring the very large siblings of Fran and Ken Stein, with the obvious reference to the famous Mary Shelley novel. They are not quite normal humans, given they were 'made' rather than born, and every few days they must plug themselves in be charged. Whilst the extrovert Ken feels completely at home with his body size, he is a man after all, Fran is more self conscious, women as big and strong as her are rare and stand out, she is referred by a NYPD cop as Gargantua, not to mention the lack of men as tall as her, making dating problematic, although Detective Richard 'Mank' Mankiewicz has his eyes on her.

The siblings run a niche PI agency that focuses on looking for the birth parents for adopted adults, a fact that is not unrelated to the loss of their parents, gifted scientists, Olivia Grey and Brandon Wilder when they were very young, leaving them to be raised by their beloved 'Aunt' Margie. The Steins are hired by a client, Evelyn Bannister, to locate a father she has never met, of whom she knows nothing, other than he is a collector of stringed instrument, she believes it might be possible to find out who he is by looking into a rare ukulele, a Gibson Poinsettia, once owned by him. Whilst aware that their client is not exactly telling them the truth, they take on a case where little is as it appears. In the meantime, Fran and Ken's world is rocked when a car crash fatality, Dr Aziz Mansoor, who before his death left a phone message that indicates their parents are not dead.

Could there possibly be a connection with their case and their parents? In a light hearted narrative, the PIs try to figure out exactly who their client is, there is danger and syringes to avoid, a strange London auction in which a ukulele is sold for a fantastical price, the need to try to track down their elusive parents and so much more. I did enjoy reading this, but I dithered about my star rating between 3 and 4 stars as the humour did not always work for me, I made my decision on the basis that the book mostly did hold my interest. This is one for those looking something a little different in the crime and mystery genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

When the assumed missing ukulele is auctioned and later their client is murdered, something is amiss and Fran and sometimes Ken, is determined to learn the truth which involves crashing a funeral, going out to dinner, and reaching out to another source that will bring this case to its conclusion. Along the way, this mystery kept me entertained with visually descriptive narrative, engaging dialogue, especially when Fran steps out to chat with the reader, and a vibe that made this a comfortable read. Oh, and the humor, ever so delightful. The author did a great job in providing a variety of clues to keep me guessing with all the red herrings tossed in to enhance my reading pleasure. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told. I enjoyed watching this all play out as things fell into place and one by one we knew who was doing what to whom. Nice job. Overall, a great entre into the traditional field.

This is an entertaining cosy mystery where no one is who they say they are and everyone has ulterior motives.

Brother and sister, Fran and Ken Stein, run an investigation agency for people looking for their parents. This was inspired by their own desire to know more about their own parents who died in a car crash when they were young. Raised by their Aunt Margie, Fran and Ken are not ordinary human beings (just how different you’ll find out by reading the book). In addition to some unique traits, they are both very tall, good looking and strong, attracting attention wherever they go. With women throwing themselves at him, Ken puts this to good use, but Fran is more wary, fending off overly eager men and finding it hard to find a date who isn’t too short for her.

They have received an unusual request from a woman who says she is looking for her father, but rather than finding him she wants Fran and Ken to find a rare ukulele she says belonged to him which she says will allow her to trace him. And so starts a bizarre investigation into ukuleles, collectors of rare instruments, car crashes and people trying to kidnap Fran. Narrated by Fran, the plot has plenty of action, false leads and twists as well as snarky humour, particularly at the expense of her brother. The characters are likeable and intelligent and if this is the start of a new series, I’d be happy to meet them again.

Normally I like E.J. Copperman (better known as Jeff Cohen). He writes light-hearted, entertaining almost cozy mysteries. In this one, he gives us two characters who are not quite human, beginning with their names, Fran and Ken Stein. They are orphans, or are they? Did their parents abandon them to the care of a close friend when they were young because someone was on their tail? Are they still alive somewhere and watching over them? Who is the mysterious client who hires them to find her birth father and is then murdered? Why was she looking for a Gibson Ukulele, worth quite a bit of money? Questions abound and Fran and Ken play fast and loose with their actions...as soon as they finish recharging themselves with an electrical plug-in.

Fran and Ken Stein are siblings who seem like fairly normal people but like Frankenstein, they were created, not born. Now they have established a detective agency to help people find their biological parents. They are especially interested in this type of case, because they would love to find their own parents. In fact, the plot has the pair trying to find their client's father using a ukulele as a clue while following the latest leads in the case of their own missing parents. I enjoyed the plot. It had a fun mystery and interesting characters. The book is told from Fran's point of view. At times I found her voice a little over the top. Overall a fun mystery. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Setting the Scene: E. J. Copperman's new cozy mystery series Introduces Fran & Ken Stein. (Think about it.) This brother/sister duo are young, attractive, and unusually tall, with various other unique traits. Raised as orphans from a very young age by their "Aunt" Margie, the two now own a detective agency, with its own unique niche, finding birth parents for adults who were adopted. In this first-in-series, Fran and Ken are hired to find a valuable ukulele that may be the key to finding their client's birth father. However, they soon discover that nothing and no one is what they seem, and they are, in fact, faced with piecing together what a 20 year old fatal car crash, an extremely valuable missing ukulele, a murdered client; and a current fatal car crash have in common? Perhaps nothing, except Fran and Ken, themselves.

What I Thought: Mr. Copperman seems to have hit upon a creative, if somewhat bizarre, premise for his new cozy mystery series. Fran and Ken, as well as Aunt Margie, are intelligent, likeable, and quirky characters with plenty of snark and wit, especially from Fran. Their unusual circumstances create a strong bond between brother and sister, but that does not prevent plenty of sibling banter. As amusing as they are, and in spite of Ken's frat-boy tendencies, these two can take care of themselves; and neither is prone to TSTL moments. That's all very good since there is more action than normally found in cozies. The mysteries, plural, are well plotted, with plenty of red herrings and misdirection to keep things interesting, and come together nicely, for the most part. There is even a bit of a slow burn romance. While all that wit and banter can be a bit much, at times, and, yes, I had to suspend reality, here and there, I found this book refreshing and funny and look forward to more time with these characters.

Siblings Fran and Ken have an unusual backstory, they were made not born. Their scientist parents are missing, on the run and they were raised by their aunt Margie. They run a detective business together, when a client hires them to help her find her father with the one clue a Gibson ukulele it sets Fran and Ken on a journey to their own mysterious pasts and it puts them into dangerous territory. Interesting mystery, fun characters and twist on the Frankenstein story it was a great story and I can't wait to catch up with Fran, Ken and Aunt Margie again. Saying ukulele is fun.

A cozy with a new twist. Fran and Ken are siblings who are bioengineered. They are running a dectective agency that reunites birth parents with their offspring. A new twist of a cozy. Filled with humor, mystery and fun. Thanks#netgalley and #SevernHouse for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Fran and Ken Stein are sibling private investigators and specialize in finding birth parents for adoptees.
The sister and brother are not quite human but products of their scientist parents' research. Due to their
parents death in a car crash, there are many unanswered questions.
Hired to find a ukelele by a client who is convinced it will lead her to her father, the police get involved
when the client is found murdered. It is then discovered that the name she gave was false - what
was she really after? Why is their father's name popping up? Are their parents really dead? Do others
know about their origin?
Enjoyable read - look forward to Fran and Ken's next case.
#UkuleleofDeath #NetGalley

A new hilarious series set in New York and introducing two bio-engineered siblings running a detective agency.

The plot is really wacky and all over the place but being the first installment I will give it the benefice of the doubt. Copperman is a great comic author but he must have been drinking too much coffee while writing Ukulele of death... Honestly I'm still trying to figure out what the novel is all about...🤣🤣

Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this weirdly funny ARC!

Oh my goodness this was brilliant! Ukulele of Death is part 50% cozy mystery, 50% science fiction and 100% a fun read! We follow Fran and Ken Stein, a sibling P.I team who were made - not born. The not quite human duo specialize in finding birth parents for clients who were adopted and are looking to reconnect. Everything changes when a client hires them to find a rare Ukulele, turning their lives completely upside down and sending them on a mission of self discovery and survival. Filled with Shelley worthy puns, murder, mystery, sleuthing and a side of romance this book is so fun and unique!

Check out Ukulele of Death hitting shelves May 2, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fran and Ken Stein are sibling PI’s that specialize in finding lost parents. When a woman shows up in their office asking them to find a lost ukulele and her father, they take on the case only to have their client murdered, the ukulele lost, and their secret exposed. It turns out that Fran and Ken aren’t exactly normal but are definitely exactly what their parents made of them. They have to solve the murder, find the instrument, and keep the mysterious Voice from accomplishing his plan to kidnap Fran, all while looking for their own missing parents.

This was such a fun and silly story that I couldn’t help but love it. I was pleasantly surprised with this novel with two gigantic, Shelley inspired protagonists; it was witty, goofy, and absolutely entertaining. In a world of pretensions it is nice to find a book that is meant to be purely enjoyed and not taken apart for some deeper, hidden meaning. The first person narrative is fun and friendly, and really allows Fran’s personality to take center stage. Her interactions with her brother Ken are so well written that I swear I have had similar conversations with my own older brother. I’d love to see a subsequent book in this series written from Ken’s POV so we can get to know him better and to see just how well Fran knows him. The humorous nods to Frankenstein when the power goes out had me giggling and I am rooting for the romance between Fran and Mank. Overall this book was humorous with characters that may not be as smart as they are strong, has a fun story line, and it a quick read. Even if not terribly cerebral, this book was absolutely enjoyable.

An investigative sibling duo who help reunite adopted children with their birth parents newest case involves a rare ukulele. I wish there had been some backstory early on to help the reader get
Used to the characters. Overall a solid mystery.

Fran and Ken Stein, the latest creations of E. J. Copperman are sibling private detectives who just happen to be manufactured humans whose parents disappeared years ago after creating them. The search for a lost ukulele that may be connected to their parents and the ensuing bodies and mysteries make for a very fun read. I certainly hope for a sequel.

My first read of a book by this author and I really enjoyed it. When the lead characters are named Fran & Ken Stein you know things will be fun. We find out early on that these two are human but built by their parents. Amazingly things that we find weird they never questioned (they get plugged into an electrical source every few days). But from a young age they lived with their Aunt because their parents had died in a tragic car accident. So now they have a PI agency that specializes in helping people find and reunite with their birth parents. And, lo and behold they have a client who wants to find her father and the only clue is that he once owned a valuable ukulele. It is a fun book and mystery, as dead bodies keep piling up, and Fran keeps getting asked out on dinner dates by a police detective. The clues are all there for us, but the entire plot is done in such a way that it keeps you guessing until the very end. Like a said, a fun and entertaining read. And I certainly hope there will be more books featuring these characters!

3.5 rounded up.
I know this book doesn't take itself too seriously and is meant to be funny but the humor didn't land with me if you vibe with the humor in this book your mileage will vary greatly from mine. There was constant talk/jokes about how tall Fran is and it got to a point where it was eyeroll inducing for me.
The main character Fran and Ken aren't fully human but they're not robot either and they need to charge at intervals that seem rather arbitrary, I didn't really get how that whole thing worked, I don't think it mattered much in the grand scheme of things but it made for a convenient excuse for them to be slightly over-powered. I could tell that Ken was supposed to be something of a himbo and while I normally like a himbo in this case it just felt like Fran wasn't giving him the credit he deserved while feeling better about her own intelligence and performances than she should (maybe that was part of the humor that didn't land for me too).
This book really reads like the first in a series in the sense that there was a lot of work put in setting up the characters and the story was not very impactful, that being said the whodunit part wasn't bad it didn't drag its feet so it made for a quick read.