Character Profiles

Roy Park

"I can tell fact from fiction."

A former detective with the Los Angeles Police Department now working as a licensed private investigator specializing in runaways, domestic disputes, missing persons, and corporate espionage investigations. Roy was an extremely successful detective with the LAPD with an uncanny-almost intuitive-ability to read people and situations. He would probably be a great Texas hold 'em player, but he doesn't like to sit down for very long. A second-generation Korean-American, Roy is all Angeleno and loves living in the "City of Angels." Single by choice, he's experimenting with raising a couple of cacti on his patio.

Turn-ons: Motorcycles, sexy librarians, paying gigs, Mexican food
Turnoffs: Liars, landlords, low-alcohol beer, hairless animals
Favorite movie: Chinatown
Favorite song: Anything by KC and the Sunshine Band
Favorite book: Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
Life philosophy: "Always wait for the other shoe to drop."

Lydia Stark

"I bet you don't even have a fedora."

A best-selling author whose 10 mysteries starring ace detective Theo Rose have been translated into 16 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Raised in the relative isolation and comfort of suburban Minneapolis, Lydia developed an interest in noir, hard-boiled detective fiction, and violent crime stories when she was left dateless for her high school prom.

Turn-ons: The Lexus LS 460, blue jeans, picnics, witty banter, a dry martini
Turnoffs: High school boys, Chihuahuas, diet soda
Favorite movie: L.A. Confidential
Favorite song: Anything she can dance to
Favorite book: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Life philosophy: "To thine own self be true. That's the best advice ever given."

Jared Lutz, Esq.

"Is this off the record?"

Received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1979. He now heads his own entertainment law practice in Los Angeles, specializing in "crisis management" for celebrities who find themselves in unique predicaments and in need of discreet counsel. Having Jared's cell-phone number is a sure sign that you've made it in Hollywood.

Turn-ons: Billable hours, lunch at The Grill, condo in Maui
Turnoffs: Pro bono work, charities
Favorite movie: "Who has time for movies? I bill by the hour."
Favorite song: Frank Sinatra's "My Way"
Favorite book: The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Life philosophy: "Be flexible. You never know what you'll have to do for a client."

Theo Rose

"I knew you were an imposter when I shook your hand. A real Rolex weighs much more than that shoddy Nigerian knockoff around your wrist."

Graduated with honors from Oxford University before completing a course of instruction at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. Fluent in five languages and the former Muay Thai kickboxing champion of Monaco, Theo turned his brilliant mind to crime solving after the murder of his fiancée, the former Miss Singapore. Though he is smarter and tougher than most people, Theo has a soft side and spends his free time helping out at an animal rescue facility.

Turn-ons: Justice, a good Pinot Noir, puppies
Turnoffs: Evil, over-oaked Chardonnay
Favorite movie: Casablanca
Favorite song: Anything by Miles Davis
Favorite book: Safe House by Lydia Stark
Life philosophy: "Don't let the fact that you're fictitious keep you from realizing your dreams!"

Roy's Parents, Somi and Ji-Sung "Teddy" Park

"Mrs. Kim's niece from Seoul is in town. She's very pretty."

First-generation Korean-Americans, they spend a great deal of their free time worrying about their only son and wondering if he'll ever settle down and give them grandchildren.

Turn-ons: Weddings, babies, grandchildren, Lexus RX 400h to transport grandchildren
Turnoffs: Irresponsible young men who don't respect their parents' wishes
Favorite movie: Marrying the Mafia-a Korean film in which a promising young man is forced to marry the daughter of a mobster after a one-night stand
Favorite TV show: Dodgers baseball, LPGA Tour
Life philosophy: "We're retired. We need something to do!"

Corey Greenberg

"It's only money, so pay up."

Worked his way up from the mailroom to become one of the top literary agents in New York. Nicknamed "The Bulldog" because of his tenacity and his underbite, Corey is considered to be an unscrupulous mercenary and a two-faced lying jackal by many in the publishing industry. The fact that he routinely pulls down top-dollar advances for his clients has earned him a reputation as one of the best agents in the business.

Turn-ons: Getting seven-figure advances for his clients
Turnoffs: Stupid editors who don't appreciate his clients
Favorite movie: Jerry Maguire
Favorite activity: Golf-because you can play and still make phone calls
Favorite book: The one he just sold for the above-mentioned top-dollar advance
Life philosophy: "I can sell ice to the Eskimos because I have the ice they want."

Gannon

"Andy Warhol is God."

Gannon was expelled from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design in his junior year after it was discovered he had been using the lithography studio to produce counterfeit Japanese yen. Gannon claimed it was a performance-art piece. To his credit, the bills looked and felt completely authentic and he was able to go to Japan with a suitcase filled with them. He spent three years in Tokyo learning the techniques of document forgery from a noted Yakusa master and has since plied his trade as a member of the criminal elite. In Japan, Gannon developed a taste for fast motorcycles, hot sake, and a fermented bean paste called natto. A brilliant artist and master criminal, Gannon has appeared in the last four books by Lydia Stark as Theo Rose's nemesis.

Turn-ons: Sushi, sake, and shiatsu
Turnoffs: Speed limits
Favorite movie: Anything with Steve McQueen
Favorite song: "Ride on Shooting Star" by the Pillows
Life philosophy: "Don't be afraid to scratch that itch."

Read Black Sapphire Pearl, part one

Read Black Sapphire Pearl, part two

Read Black Sapphire Pearl, part three