Book Review: The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Christopher Moore
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fantasy   Humorous
Avon, Aug 2000, $13.00, 304 pp.

In Pine Cove, California, almost everyone celebrates the end of summer as those monsters called tourists finally go home. However, a stunned clinical psychiatrist Dr. Valerie Riordan worries about over-prescribing mind medicine after a patient kills herself especially with statistics claiming suicide for the hard core fifteen percent of depression sufferers. Valerie switches her patients from anti-depressants like Zoloft to placebos.

While the townsfolk turn dispirited yet erotic, the Head of the Slug Saloon hires Mississippi Delta blues singer Catfish. His music attracts Steve a sea beast, a long time fan of the blues singer. Steve recently has been bathing in water supplemented by a nuclear leak. As the town turns psychotic, law enforcement officials augment the chaos.

THE LUST LIZARD OF MELANCHOLY COVE is a satirical bite at the American way of life. The story line is irreverent nuking everything and everyone involved in the chemical reinventing of Americans quite droll. Surprisingly, Christopher Moore’s tale, sea beast and all, feels almost genuine as he avoids his previous tendency of going totally over the line of poor taste and remaining there. Anyone who relishes irony at its most humorous best, needs this novel to wash down “mother’s little helper”.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner