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! The absurdly outrageous, sarcastically satiric, and always entertaining New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns in finest madcap form with this zany noir set on the mean streets of post-World War II San Francisco, and featuring a diverse cast of characters, including a hapless bartender; his Chinese sidekick; a doll with sharp angles and dangerous curves; a tight-lipped Air Force general; a wisecracking waif; Petey, a black mamba; and many more. San Francisco. Summer, 1947. A dame walks into a saloon . . . It’s not every afternoon that an enigmatic, comely blonde named Stilton (like the cheese) walks into the scruffy gin joint where Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin tends bar. It’s love at first sight, but before Sammy can make his move, an Air Force general named Remy arrives with some urgent business. ’Cause when you need something done, Sammy is the guy to go to; he’s got the connections on the street. Meanwhile, a suspicious flying object has been spotted up the Pacific coast in Washington State near Mount Rainier, followed by a mysterious plane crash in a distant patch of desert in New Mexico that goes by the name Roswell. But the real weirdness is happening on the streets of the City by the Bay. When one of Sammy’s schemes goes south and the Cheese mysteriously vanishes, Sammy is forced to contend with his own dark secrets—and more than a few strange goings on—if he wants to find his girl. Think Raymond Chandler meets Damon Runyon with more than a dash of Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes All Stars. It’s all very, very Noir. It’s all very, very Christopher Moore.
Charlie Asher je vetešník, lehce neurotický betasamec, otec a také obchodník se smrtí. A nyní navíc zmatený jako všichni ostatní. V San Francisku se totiž záhadně ztrácejí duše zemřelých. Někdo – nebo něco – je krade a nikdo neví, co se s nimi děje. Zdá se, že to nějak souvisí s oranžovým mostem…
Parta nesourodých hrdinů se rozhodne záležitosti přijít na kloub. Kromě Charlieho k nim patří další obchodník se smrtí Mátomil Svěží, vysloužilý policista Alfons Rivera, bláznivý vládce San Franciska se svými pekelnými psisky Bummerem a Lazarem, bývalá gotička Lily, nyní poradce z linky pro sebevrahy.
Volné pokračování humorné fantasy Špinavá práce o smolaři Charliem a jeho povedené dceři Sophii.
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.
