Good Reads - Fiction

Laugh Lines

FICTION/ABBOTT
Abbott, Bonnie Thomas - Radical Prunings: A Novel of Officious Advice from the Contessa of Compost - 2005, 235p.
Horticulture columnist Mertensia Corydalis dispenses gardening advice in a question and answer format in this amusing novel. The stories of Miss Mertensia, her ex-husband, her secretary Miss Vong, and her gardener Tran are woven into her very opinionated answers to questions on everything from getting a pond ready for spring to whether it's ok to plant ornamental grasses in the fall. Full of great advice and eccentric characters, this satisfying novel of collected "gardening essays" is a real pleasure to read. Sue O'Brien

FICTION/BLACHMAN
Blachman, Jeremy - Anonymous Lawyer - 2006, 272p.
Anonymous Lawyer, a hiring partner at a major law firm who is looking to become Chairman of the firm one day, is intrigued by blogging and begins his own blog to record his thoughts about the firm and its employees. Through blog entries and an exchange of emails with his niece, Anonymous Niece, who is going to law school, we see the nasty way he treats associates and colleagues in this humorous, over-the-top satire. Sue O'Brien

MYSTERY/CLARK
Clark, Carol Higgins - Hitched - 2006, 277p.
P.I. Regan Reilly goes to the bridal salon to pick up her dress only to find that the shop has been robbed, and her dress has been stolen. After she rescues the owners of the shop, they persuade Regan to take the case. Regan's fiancé Jack, head of NYPD's Major Case Squad, is busy with his own string of bank robberies that he wants to solve before he leaves on his honeymoon. In a twist of fate, both the bank robberies and the wedding dress heist become cleverly entwined. The quirky cast of characters, including the other brides and the thieves, add fast-paced humor to this cozy mystery. Marianne Trautvetter

FICTION/COLL
Coll, Susan - Rockville Pike - 2005, 319p.
Looming financial ruin and an overly interested patio furniture saleswoman propel Jane Kramer to scrutinize her life in the Greater Washington D.C. suburb of Rockville, Maryland. Jane ruminates over just how a "temporary" return from Manhattan to help husband Leon's ailing parents with the family business has transformed them from a promising young graduate student and an MBA-wielding bond trader to co-owners of a local retail institution, Kramer's Discount Furniture Depot. Jane's wry, deprecating humor moves this quirky novel through a brisk trajectory as she narrates this delightful story full of colorful characters whose lives are irrevocably intertwined. Suzy Miller

814/EPH
Ephron, Nora - I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts About Being a Woman - 2006, 137p.
In her latest book of humorous essays, Nora Ephron tackles the trials and tribulations of women and aging. Her first essay explores physical aging with a witty dialogue about the neck. From there Ephron provides amusing commentary on several other topics, including her beauty regimen, the dozens of lotions and potions designed to make her look younger, and her unwillingness to move out of her rental apartment in Manhattan. Finally, in an essay called Considering the Alternative, she confronts loss and friendship in a poignant and vulnerable way. The delightful book describes what getting older is really like for women today. Sheila Guenzer

FICTION/FLAGG
Flagg, Fannie - Standing in the Rainbow - 2002, 493p.
You can almost taste the southern-fried chicken in this charming story set in the cozy town of Elmwood Springs, Missouri, circa 1945—where quirky characters abound, and just about everybody has at least one relative they'd rather not admit to knowing. Local celebrity Neighbor Dorothy reports all births, deaths, marriages and general good deeds on her live radio talk show (broadcast daily from her living room) with musical accompaniment by the affable Mother Smith. As the decades roll by, the good folks of Elmwood Springs grow up and grow old while facing the challenges of family, progress, and southern-style politics with warmth, grace, and an abundance of good humor. Debbie Deady

FICTION/GALANT
Galant, Debra - Rattled - 2006, 243p.
Galapagos Estates: the ideal locale in which to raise the ideal family. It's also an ideal habitat for endangered rattlesnakes, but that wasn't in the brochure. Of course, the rattlesnake issue is common knowledge to longtime local egg farmer Harlan White who, while doing handyman work for the new owner Heather, has a run-in ending with a smashed up Ming vase, a murdered endangered snake, and strict orders for Heather to dispose of the thing before the "environmental nuts" find out. When one does find out, it sets off a chain of events resulting in the most disastrous Parents' Night ever, a nationwide media circus, mild eco-terrorism, social ostracism of the third-grade variety, and the downfall of at least one not-so-upright citizen. Heather Booth

MYSTERY/ GOLDBERG
Goldberg, Lee - The Man with the Iron-on Badge - 2005, 223p.
Watch out Monk, Magnum, Mannix and Spenser. Harvey Mapes is looking to be the new kid on the block, in this laugh-out-loud, pulp-style, P.I. novel. When Harvey, the lowly night-shift security guard for a southern California gated neighborhood, is plucked from his dreary life and tossed into the glamorous $150.00 per day, P.I. life, he sees nothing but a dream-come-true, an action–packed, chick magnet, adventurous (just like on T.V.) life ahead. Unfortunately for Harvey, there are problems with his ideal life: getting beat up actually hurts, having a best friend in the police department doesn't come with the assignment, and some secrets are too dark and too tragic to live with. Terri W.

FICTION/ GREEN
Green, Risa - Notes from the Underbelly - 2005, 293p.
As far as Lara Stone is concerned, Lara and Andrew Stone have a perfectly nice life. Andrew is self-employed, and Lara is a college guidance counselor at a top-notch L.A. prep school. They drive nice cars, have a nice home, and have "quality time" for Zoey, their Wheaton Terrier. But with the recent pregnancy announcement by Julie, Lara's so-called best friend, Lara can see the writing on the wall, or at least on Andrew's face. Somewhere between the pink lines on the test strip, the perfect pair of pregnancy jeans, and trying to get every kid into the perfect college, Lara has got to find her maternal instincts. This is a laugh-out-loud look at pregnancy and the modern girl. Terri W.

FICTION/HIAASEN
Hiaasen, Carl - Skinny Dip - 2004, 355p.
Chaz Perrone throws Joey, his wife of two years, off a cruise ship into the Atlantic Ocean. Chaz, however, neglects to remember that his wife was a champion swimmer in college, and Joey holds on long enough to meet up with a bale of Jamaican pot she can hang on to. After drifting all night, Joey ends up near an island where Mick Stranahan, a retired police officer, pulls her to safety. Joey survives, and instead of calling the police, she decides to seek revenge at the expense of her murderous spouse. She enlists Mick's aid, and together they plan a series of ingenious and malicious events designed to drive Chaz crazy. Well-drawn, quirky characters, subtle humor, and a unique plot make this a pleasure to read. Sheila Guenzer

FICTION/HORNBY
Hornby, Nick - A Long Way Down - 2005, 333p.
What happens when four total strangers (each determined to end their "miserable" lives), meet unexpectedly on New Year's Eve, on a rooftop in London infamous for "jumpers?" Martin is a TV celebrity caught in a sex scandal; Maureen, a single, middle-aged woman who cares for her profoundly disabled son; JJ, an American rocker upset about the break-up of his band; and Jess, a punky twenty-something, looking for love. Yet, bonded by their common unhappiness, they agree to postpone their suicide plans—at least for one night—as they each begin to understand and humorously demonstrate the fact that "misery (really does) love company." Debbie Deady

FICTION/KLAVAN
Klavan, Laurence - The Cutting Room - 2004, 274p.
Movie trivia buff and author of Trivial Man newsletter Roy Milano receives an invitation from rival Alan Gilbert, host of public-access show My Movies, to view a never-released, complete uncut original of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons, only to find Gilbert dead and the film missing. After notifying the police, Roy decides to hunt for the missing film himself. With the help of his female sidekick, Jeanine, the trail leads them from New York across country to Los Angeles and even to Spain as more bodies pile up. This romp with its many eccentric characters will appeal to both mystery and film enthusiasts. Marianne Trautvetter

FICTION/MARTINEZ
Martinez, A. Lee - Gil's All Fright Diner - 2005, 268p.
Sloppy, pudgy, pick-up driving Earl and Duke aren't exactly what you imagine when you hear about vampires and werewolves. And despite its recent zombie infestation, Gil's All Night Diner, your average, run-of-the-mill greasy spoon, is certainly not what you expect from an evil and powerful portal to Hell. Add in a surly teen sexpot (who spews her spells in Pig-Latin) intent on bringing on Armageddon, and you've got a full helping of supernatural fun. Best suited for readers with strong stomachs and dark senses of humor. Heather Booth

FICTION/MOORE
Moore, Christopher - Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - 2002, 408p.
For the faithful readers that have always wondered about the lost years of Jesus' life, this is a humorous and slightly blasphemous view of that gap. Although never mentioned in the Bible, Levi, A.K.A. Biff, has been resurrected to tell his version of the events, and he leaves nothing out about the lost thirty years. As a firsthand witness to his friend's divinity and humanity, Biff recounts the miracles, the travels, and the struggles. Moore spins a wickedly irreverent and absurdly funny tale, not for the faint of heart. Nicole S.

817/NOTARO
Notaro, Laurie - The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club - 2002, 225p.
This is the first collection of laugh-out-loud vignettes by the self-proclaimed founder of the Club. Membership is granted if you have done anything remotely dumb, of course with others witnessing the activities. A few of Notaro's confessions include helping a fellow member look for car keys in a dumpster on a blistering Phoenix afternoon, unknowingly insulting and kicking her future boss at a Fourth of July party, and deciding to take just a taste of an enormous candy apple in the crowded drive-up line of a bank. Fans of David Sedaris' brand of humor will not be disappointed. Nicole S.

FICTION/TROPPER
Tropper, Jonathan - Everything Changes - 2005, 335p.
Ribald humor enabled Zach King to endure years of his parents' rocky marriage and to care for his mother and two younger brothers after their father abandons the family. Now, this same wry perspective soothes his anxieties over a looming medical procedure and his forthcoming nuptials. Compounding these issues is the unexpected return of Zach's father, Norm. While the medical crisis propels Zach to examine many of his life choices, a contrite Norm soon discovers each son has a protective scab covering the emotions of that failed relation-ship. In this briskly paced, family-centered drama, a hilarious and often uncomfortable spectacle unfolds as Norm insinuates himself back into their lives. Suzy Miller

Prepared March 2007