A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow

From his early days in the 1970s playing piano for Bette Midler in the bathhouses of New York City to his 2025 lifetime residency in Las Vegas, Barry Manilow has put his stamp on the music industry. With legendary hits such as "Weekend in New England," "Mandy," and "I Write the Songs," Manilow has created a catalog of instantly recognizable songs that have lasted decades and continue to be in rotation on radio stations, elevators and Spotify playlists to this day.

Manilow also created a legendary musical crime in his song "Copacabana," telling the story of feather-wearing dancer Lola who is caught between bartender Tony and patron Rico as the two men vie for her affections...and ultimately meet untimely ends.

Now, 13 crime author fans of Barry (affectionately known as "Fanilows") take on other songs from his collection of hits to tell all new stories of love, life, relationships and other situations gone horribly wrong. All the hits are here, as well as a few lesser-known tracks.

As Manilow sings, "there was blood and a single gunshot. But just who shot who?"

This collection features all new stories from Karen Keeley, Linda Kay Hardie, Adam Gorgoni, Maya St. Clair, Matt McGee, Laurie Stevens, Caleb Weinhardt, Kurtis Rupé, Recita Clemons, J. M. Taylor, John M. Floyd, T. Fox Dunham, Christine Verstraete and Shari Held.