The Hearse You Came in On (Hitchcock Sewell Mysteries (Paperback))
8 journalers for this copy...
Amazon.com
To quote Lewis Carroll: "Calloo, callay, oh frabjous day!" No doubt Carroll, with his keen sense of the absurd, would find the publication of Tim Cockey's first novel positively frabjous indeed, an occasion for merriment and revelry.
Cockey is a kindred spirit to Janet Evanovich (Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score), an author with the rare gift of making riotously funny prose seem effortless, and to Elmore Leonard (Be Cool, Get Shorty), whose dialogue is casually and precisely evocative of the way "real people" speak. Heady company indeed for this new author, but The Hearse You Came in On deserves a special place in the screwball mystery pantheon: if you thought Evanovich was daring for creating a heroine who is a lingerie-salesperson-turned-bounty-hunter, you haven't met Hitchcock Sewell, the handsome undertaker who moonlights (reluctantly) as a sleuth.
Hitchcock is placidly enjoying life in Baltimore, "solemnly chaperoning the dead into their graves and pretty much otherwise minding my own business," when Carolyn James appears at the mortuary to inquire how much her own burial would cost. The next day, Carolyn reappears, but she isn't saying much now: suicide by asphyxiation has a way of eliminating small talk. The only problem is that Carolyn the Client is not the same woman as Carolyn the Cost-Conscious Consumer. When Hitch decides to pursue the shifting-identity issue, he meets Kate Zabriskie, a cop who wanted to protect Carolyn from a vicious boyfriend by faking her death; unfortunately, it seems Carolyn decided to play for real. Intent on proving that Carolyn's suicide was murder, Kate quickly embroils Hitch in a tangle of political blackmail and police corruption.
Bad enough that Hitch is caught in a murder investigation--but factor in his unwilling participation in a terrible amateur theater production, in which his costar is his "extremely gorgeous semi-nymphomaniac quasi-Buddhist and eternally charming ex-wife," and you have one cranky undertaker. Luckily for Hitch and for Cockey's readers, that crankiness is never enough to dim his razor-sharp powers of description and keen appreciation for his and others' quirks. Here he describes his former father-in-law, owner of the Screaming Oyster Saloon: "Frank is a tall crooked stick with an Adam's apple that rivals his nose, and a basset hound face that promises the end of life as we know it any minute now. Every mug he lands on the bar lands there with the heavy thud of finality. If you're in a good mood and you don't want to be, Frank's your man. He doesn't even have to speak, he'll simply open up that bleak vortex for you and down you go."
The Hearse You Came in On is a powerful debut; Cockey's next novel won't come a moment too soon for the readers who keep pausing to laugh out loud.
To quote Lewis Carroll: "Calloo, callay, oh frabjous day!" No doubt Carroll, with his keen sense of the absurd, would find the publication of Tim Cockey's first novel positively frabjous indeed, an occasion for merriment and revelry.
Cockey is a kindred spirit to Janet Evanovich (Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score), an author with the rare gift of making riotously funny prose seem effortless, and to Elmore Leonard (Be Cool, Get Shorty), whose dialogue is casually and precisely evocative of the way "real people" speak. Heady company indeed for this new author, but The Hearse You Came in On deserves a special place in the screwball mystery pantheon: if you thought Evanovich was daring for creating a heroine who is a lingerie-salesperson-turned-bounty-hunter, you haven't met Hitchcock Sewell, the handsome undertaker who moonlights (reluctantly) as a sleuth.
Hitchcock is placidly enjoying life in Baltimore, "solemnly chaperoning the dead into their graves and pretty much otherwise minding my own business," when Carolyn James appears at the mortuary to inquire how much her own burial would cost. The next day, Carolyn reappears, but she isn't saying much now: suicide by asphyxiation has a way of eliminating small talk. The only problem is that Carolyn the Client is not the same woman as Carolyn the Cost-Conscious Consumer. When Hitch decides to pursue the shifting-identity issue, he meets Kate Zabriskie, a cop who wanted to protect Carolyn from a vicious boyfriend by faking her death; unfortunately, it seems Carolyn decided to play for real. Intent on proving that Carolyn's suicide was murder, Kate quickly embroils Hitch in a tangle of political blackmail and police corruption.
Bad enough that Hitch is caught in a murder investigation--but factor in his unwilling participation in a terrible amateur theater production, in which his costar is his "extremely gorgeous semi-nymphomaniac quasi-Buddhist and eternally charming ex-wife," and you have one cranky undertaker. Luckily for Hitch and for Cockey's readers, that crankiness is never enough to dim his razor-sharp powers of description and keen appreciation for his and others' quirks. Here he describes his former father-in-law, owner of the Screaming Oyster Saloon: "Frank is a tall crooked stick with an Adam's apple that rivals his nose, and a basset hound face that promises the end of life as we know it any minute now. Every mug he lands on the bar lands there with the heavy thud of finality. If you're in a good mood and you don't want to be, Frank's your man. He doesn't even have to speak, he'll simply open up that bleak vortex for you and down you go."
The Hearse You Came in On is a powerful debut; Cockey's next novel won't come a moment too soon for the readers who keep pausing to laugh out loud.
This was a great book. I've just recently heard of this series and they sounded like fun. I wasn't disappointed. The author's humor is non stop throughout the book, no matter how dire the situation, so you can't help but love the main character who is an undertaker in Baltimore.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
Ring is heading out the door. Books are marked "1" and "2". I will be sending them together since everyone signed up for both. Enjoy! Here is the final order:
needsun, Canada
octoberskye, MA
HallieK, TX
pjmom8025, MN
frybaby, GA
Lpree, MD
CheriePie, MA
home to me!
needsun, Canada
octoberskye, MA
HallieK, TX
pjmom8025, MN
frybaby, GA
Lpree, MD
CheriePie, MA
home to me!
Journal Entry 5 by yllus at -- Controlled Release in Aurora, Ontario Canada on Thursday, September 30, 2004
Released 19 yrs ago (9/30/2004 UTC) at -- Controlled Release in Aurora, Ontario Canada
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Releasing out on book ring. Enjoy!
Releasing out on book ring. Enjoy!
This book was definitely worth the read. The main character frustrated me because he never seemed to realize how much danger he was in. His humor was perfect throughout. Great first book.
Soon to be travelling to Octoberskye.
Soon to be travelling to Octoberskye.
Just started it and he already has me laughing!
This book was very different from anything I've read before. It was amazing how it could be funny and suspenseful all at the same time. As soon as I finished it, I started Hearse of a Different Color. I'll hang on to it until I finish hearse book #2 and then I'll send them both together.
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to HallieK in Texas. She is the next member of the book ring. Enjoy!
Sent to HallieK in Texas. She is the next member of the book ring. Enjoy!
Got this in the mail today and I can't wait to read them! There are a couple books ahead of it, but I'll read fast! Thanks for this bookring!
This was a great first book! It was funny and had a good mystery, too, with some nice little twists. Can't wait to read the second one!
Mailing this out to pjmom8025
Mailing this out to pjmom8025
I just got this and Hearse of a Different Color in the mail this morning. I have a couple(quick)reads ahead of it and will get these sent off as soon as possible.
I have absolutely been swamped with life and books. I tried #1 of this series and just wasn't in the mood to read it at this time. I am going to go ahead and send this off to the next participant tomorrow.
Got it in the mail yesterday. Started reading last night.
Not as funny as I thought it would be. And that's about all I can remember. I finished it several days ago but wasn't able to get online til now to put down my thoughts.
2/26-sending to Lpree
2/26-sending to Lpree
This arrived at my new address recently. It got there quicker than I expected - I will be there in about two weeks. Several books arrived at the same time, but I will read as quickly as I can once I am at my new location. It looks like the second book was supposed to be included with this but didn't make it - do you want me to hold this until the second one arrives so I can get them back together?
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading this!
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading this!
The second book had a mix up before it got to me but it is here now. I'll get it to Lpree soon.
I finished this up yesterday. I thought it was funny, but not hilarious, if that makes any sense. I did enjoy the main character, and found the story interesting. I especially enjoyed the parts thrown in about the various wakes/funerals.
Anyway, thanks very much to yllus for starting this ring. I believe #2 is on its way to me, so to get these two back together, I'll hold this one and mail both out together, unless I hear otherwise. :)
5/10 - Sorry for the delay, but this book, along with book #2 were mailed out today to CheriePie.
Anyway, thanks very much to yllus for starting this ring. I believe #2 is on its way to me, so to get these two back together, I'll hold this one and mail both out together, unless I hear otherwise. :)
5/10 - Sorry for the delay, but this book, along with book #2 were mailed out today to CheriePie.
Received this and Hearse of a Different Color in today's mail. I've just got one other ring book waiting for me here, and then I'll start on these ones. I've heard good things about 'em and can't wait to read 'em.
Just finished this last night (I was on vacation for 5 days so it took me a little longer than usual since I didn't get to read it while I was away... too much else going on.)
I enjoyed the novel enough to look forward to the second one, which is also waiting here for me (though I've got a library book to get to first).
The main character, Hitch, has a great sense of humour. For a longish paperback (412 p.) the action moved along fairly swiftly. It was only at the very end that I was looking for things to be wrapped up more quickly than they were. That wasn't a huge nuisance to me though, if anything, it'll only cause it to lose one point if that. :)
I'll be hanging on to this until I'm done with the 2nd book, at which time they're both due to head home to yllus. Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed the novel enough to look forward to the second one, which is also waiting here for me (though I've got a library book to get to first).
The main character, Hitch, has a great sense of humour. For a longish paperback (412 p.) the action moved along fairly swiftly. It was only at the very end that I was looking for things to be wrapped up more quickly than they were. That wasn't a huge nuisance to me though, if anything, it'll only cause it to lose one point if that. :)
I'll be hanging on to this until I'm done with the 2nd book, at which time they're both due to head home to yllus. Thanks for sharing.
Mailed this and Hearse of a Different Color back to yllus on Saturday, June 18th. (Yeah, I know it's Friday now, but it's all packaged up and waiting in my mailbox for the mailperson to pick up tomorrow.)
Home again home again jiggity jig!
Releasing into the wild today
Releasing into the wild today
Journal Entry 23 by yllus at Dulles Town Center Mall in Sterling, Virginia USA on Sunday, June 26, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (6/26/2005 UTC) at Dulles Town Center Mall in Sterling, Virginia USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Left in the food court!
Left in the food court!