The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 320 pages
• Published by: William Morrow; Enhanced edition November 1, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0060842350
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060842352
• Book Dimensions: 8 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches
• Weighs: 14.1 ounces

From Publishers Weekly
Hilarity abounds in Moore's latest satirical gem. Sleepy Pine Cove, Calif., is abuzz with Christmas spirit, but Lena Marquez is fed up with her despicable ex-husband, Dale Pearson. On his way home from playing Santa Claus at the local lodge, Dale spies sneaky Lena uprooting his Monterey pines; he pulls a gun on her, she lashes out with a shovel and—oops!—kills him. Seven-year-old Josh Barker, thinking he's just seen the murder of Santa, prays for a miracle to save Christmas. To Lena's rescue comes Tucker Case, a slimy, reformed Casanova and DEA pilot, who gives her an alibi and sweeps her off her feet. The marijuana-cultivating town constable, Theo Crowe, suspects foul play, but Tucker intervenes with a blackmail scheme to keep the crime buried. Meanwhile, there's a new arrival in town: the glowingly blond Archangel Raziel (last seen in Lamb) has come "dirtside" on a "miracle mission" involving Josh's wish and reviving the town's dearly departed. Pine Cove's biggest challenge surfaces as comically reanimated zombies begin to rise and feast on the living, and a huge El Niño–induced storm swirls. This little slice of perverse Christmas cheer is enough to make even the most cynical Scrooge guffaw.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile
Tony Roberts throws himself into the "spirit of the season" with relish and pizzazz as he reads Moore's ridiculous story about the residents of Pine Cove, California. Roberts is dripping with enthusiasm--and his voice is rich with the ironic humor Moore uses so generously--in telling the story of a dead Santa, a foolish archangel, a stoned cop and his crazy wife, a child's wish, and a town full of zombies. Roberts's careful rendering of each character hits the mark, bringing each person--living or dead--to life. A great match for Moore's dry wit and outlandish understatement, Roberts possesses a gift for the timing needed to pull off this wildly funny tale. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Hardcover) I've been a big fan of Moore's work since "Coyote Blue." If "Lamb" is the first book of his you've picked up, you should know that while a wonderful read, it is a different kind of good from the rest of his body of work. For any self proclaimed Grinches out there, this book is a hoot. Moore pokes shameless fun at the weird things people do around Christmas, from aggressive Salvation Army bell ringers to Xmas Present Amnesty. At first, I was a bit put off by the returning cast of characters from previous books. Theo Crowe and his wife Molly Michon were in "The Lust Lizard of Meloncholy Cove," as were Theo's friend Gabe Fenton and his now ex, Valerie Riordan. The Mastersons and Mavis Sand were in "Lust Lizard" and "Practical Demonkeeping." Tucker Case and Roberto made it to Pine Cove from "Island of the Sequined Love Nun." While the characters are familiar, years have passed since the last time we saw them, and life has moved on. This book isn't a sequel, it's a deliciously funny tale in a familiar setting. Like all of Moore's books, relationships are at the center of the plot. No one wants to be lonely, not at Christmas, so just as quickly as people break up, they seek to pair off, if only through New Year's Day. Misunderstandings occur when Theo and Molly have their own O. Henry "Gift of the Magi" moment. Tucker Case, now divorced, is so desperate for compay he proceeds to successfully hit on a woman who has just defended herself to the death and doesn't know what to do with the corpse. Unfortunatly, the corpse is dressed like Santa, and one little boy who wittnessed the murder is about to be visited by an Angel here to grant him a Christmas wish. There are a lot of predictable places the story could go at that point. I thought I was braced for the right one. I won't give away the end, but I cheerfully admit I snorted strawberry-banana smoothie in shocked laughter. It took all my self control not to call people and read the last few chapters over the phone, just so someone would howl in laughter with me. But that would be cruel. Instead, I'm writng this reveiw, urging you to pick up this short, fast, fun read (only 275 pages on smallish paper). The buildup is fun, but where it goes is a laugh-out-loud, rib cracking good time. Believe me, this one is worth the price of a hardback.