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THE STUPIDEST ANGEL:
A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror
Christopher
paper (288p) ISBN 0-06-059025-4
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. Agent, Nicholas Ellison.
(Oct.)
Forecast: Moore’s reputation for quality satire
and the book’s compact size should make
hand-selling this as easy as pie.
