The book is a gripping tale that explores complex characters and their intertwined lives against a backdrop of significant themes such as love, betrayal, and redemption. Set in a vividly depicted environment, it delves into the emotional struggles and triumphs of its protagonists, offering readers a deep connection to their journeys. The narrative unfolds with unexpected twists, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the characters' fates. Rich in detail and insight, it promises a compelling reading experience that resonates on multiple levels.
San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie's Coffee Irregulars--a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir--are on the hustle: they're trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy's girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her "Wendy the Welder" gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city's drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she's next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer. Meanwhile, Eddie "Moo Shoes" Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City
Set against a backdrop of art and history, the narrative explores the allure of a vibrant blue pigment, reminiscent of the Virgin Mary's cloak. This captivating hue draws artists into a world filled with danger, adventure, and the supernatural. As they navigate the complexities of creativity and obsession, the story delves into the mysteries surrounding this exquisite color, intertwining themes of inspiration and the darker sides of artistic ambition.
Set adrift by his pirate crew, Pocket of Dog Snogging--last seen in The Serpent of Venice--washes up on the sun-bleached shores of Greece, where he hopes to dazzle the Duke with his comedic brilliance and become his trusted fool. But the island is in turmoil. Egeus, the Duke's minister, is furious that his daughter Hermia is determined to marry Demetrius, instead of Lysander, the man he has chosen for her. The Duke decrees that if, by the time of the wedding, Hermia still refuses to marry Lysander, she shall be executed . . . or consigned to a nunnery. Pocket, being Pocket, cannot help but point out that this decree is complete bollocks, and that the Duke is an egregious weasel for having even suggested it. Irritated by the fool's impudence, the Duke orders his death. With the Duke's guards in pursuit, Pocket makes a daring escape. He soon stumbles into the wooded realm of the fairy king Oberon, who, as luck would have it, IS short a fool. His jester Robin Goodfellow--the mischievous sprite better known as Puck--was found dead. Murdered. Oberon makes Pocket an offer he can't refuse: he will make Pocket his fool and have his death sentence lifted if Pocket finds out who killed Robin Goodfellow. But as anyone who is even vaguely aware of the Bard's most performed play ever will know, nearly every character has a motive for wanting the mischievous sprite dead. With too many suspects and too little time, Pocket must work his own kind of magic to find the truth, save his neck, and ensure that all ends well
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Christopher Moore returns with a zany noir set in post-World War II San Francisco, featuring a colorful cast, including a hapless bartender, his Chinese sidekick, a sharp-edged doll, a tight-lipped Air Force general, a wisecracking waif, and Petey, a black mamba. In the summer of 1947, an enigmatic blonde named Stilton walks into the saloon where Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin tends bar, sparking instant attraction. However, before Sammy can act, General Remy arrives with urgent business, as Sammy is the go-to guy for connections on the street. Meanwhile, a suspicious object has been spotted near Mount Rainier, followed by a mysterious plane crash in Roswell, New Mexico. The real strangeness unfolds on the streets of San Francisco. When one of Sammy's schemes backfires and Stilton mysteriously disappears, he must confront his dark secrets and navigate bizarre occurrences to find her. Combining elements of Raymond Chandler and Damon Runyon with a dash of Bugs Bunny, this story is a wild ride through the noir genre, infused with Moore's signature humor and wit.
In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can’t be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore’s delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job. Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He’s trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall “meat puppet” waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host. To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind . . .
New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore channels William
Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe in The Serpent of Venice, a satiric Venetian
gothic that brings back the Pocket of Dog Snogging, the eponymous hero of
Fool, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff. Venice, a long
time ago.
