The Fat Man
The straight dope is that you don't want to get on the Naughty List. It's my job to make sure you don't want your moniker anywhere near it. And brother, I like my job. I like it a lot.
While I didn't love this one, I certainly liked it. It won't be for everyone. Noir typically isn't for everyone. You have to have a certain sense of humor to appreciate all the places this one goes. But for anyone looking for a fun, playful MYSTERY starring some beloved and not-so-beloved Christmas characters, it may be just the treat you're looking for. It actually reminded me of Shrek, in a way.
Gumdrop Coal is an elf with a touch of dark side to him. That's why he's good at his job--he's the one who decides who gets coal in their stockings. He can spot a bad kid for sure. And what he's noticed is that bad kids typically are bad because of bad parenting. But what can he do? really? It's not like he can teach parents how to parent, right? Well, when Gumdrop Coal loses his job, he may decide to do something Santa would NEVER approve of...
But his actions may have unintended consequences...because soon he finds himself the prime suspect in a murder!
As I said, I liked this one because it was a quick read. I didn't love it. Some of the humor didn't quite work for me, but overall I liked its quirkiness.
© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Category Article 2010, adult fiction, adult mystery, Christmas, library book, noir
