Book Review: A Night at the Operation

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

A Night at the Operation     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jeffrey Cohen
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Cozy   Humorous
Series: Double Feature Mysteries # 3
Berkley Prime Crime, 2009, 290 Pages

Everyone has to grow up sometime and now is the time for Elliot Freed, owner and operator of Comedy Tonight, a theatre that only shows comedies. Events change his life in a way that will be lasting. Elliot has not lost his sense of humor or his love of the comedy theatre but he faces new life-changing experiences in A Night At The Operation.

Elliot’s ex-wife Sharon is missing. This is scary enough for Elliot that he even joins forces with Dr. Gregory Sandahl; Sharon’s soon to be ex-husband. Sharon is a responsible, dedicated doctor. She is not a person that just disappears without leaving a message with someone.

Elliot believes that Sharon’s disappearance has something to do with one of her patients, Russell Chapman. Chapman himself turns out to be a mystery. Supposedly, he has committed suicide after Sharon told him his diagnosis. However, Elliot is getting varied reports on exactly what that diagnosis was.

Not only does Elliot have Sharon’s disappearance to deal with, he has problems with his theatre. His problems involve plumbing and wiring and are so bad he may not be able to keep the theatre open. Elliot’s father steps up to supervise the repairs.

Sophie, who runs the concession stand at the theatre, has just received her SAT scores which prove that she has a lot more on her mind that making eyes at Jonathan, another employee of the theatre. Sophie’s parents are thrilled but want Sophie to quit work and spend all of her time applying at colleges. Sophie doesn’t want to leave the theatre or Jonathan.

Elliot’s major concern is Sharon but he is trying to keep on top of his other problems. There are no limits as to what Elliot will undertake to locate Sharon. Elliot also has to face the interference of Russell Chapman’s family who feel Sharon is the cause of their father’s death.

A Night At The Operation is the best book yet in this very good series. Elliot is every bit as fun as in the previous books but winds up a little more mature. I loved the staff at Comedy Tonight. I would highly recommend this book, which can be read as a stand-alone, but I would suggest you read Some Like It Hot Buttered and It Happened One Knife for a lot of background on comedy and a lot of laughs.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM

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