Book Review: Stuffed

Reviewed By: Ali Karim - RAM

Stuffed     Amazon US PB Amazon UK PB Amazon Canada PB
Brian M. Wiprud
Class/Genre:   Mystery
2005, Dell

‘Stuffed’ is the welcome return of the New York taxidermy specialist Garth Carson who was introduced in Wiprud’s highly regarded and award-winning novel ‘Pipsqueak’ [which won a Lefty Award in 2002 as well as making it onto January Magazine’s best of 2002]. Written in first person, this lighthearted romp has Carson on the trail of a stuffed white crow that he purchased in Vermont for his long-suffering girlfriend Angie as a birthday present. But before long, the Albino-bird is stolen together with much of Carson’s Taxidermy collection by masked men who have little mercy.

It appears that the whole world wants this prized animal for reasons that are far from clear. Together with Angie and their muscular handyman Otto, they decide to try and retrieve the dead crow, but run into a cabal of madmen and freaks of all kinds. The Police seem as mad as the people who stole Carson’s collection of stuffed animals. Despite all the quirky observations that Wiprud sees through the eyes of Garth Carson, there is a darker side to this book; one that takes our sleuths deep under the veneer of civilized New England society and into the world of crazed people who collect things. The tale unfolds at a frantic pace as we get introduced to people who get nuttier as the tale unravels - but it does have a dark edge absent in many comedy-crime novels.

This is a very different book, part caper, part comedy and part mystery, it makes a welcome change from conventional crime-fiction novels and indicates that Wiprud is an important talent in the genre. Recommended to those who like zany caper novels.

Ali Karim - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM