Review: Funny, light romantic comedy....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2014
It's official. Marshall Thornton has his romantic comedy claws in me as well as his detective claws.He's sucked me in like a...like a...sucky thing. A thing that sucks.Clearly I suck at metaphors.Not only does he write the best noirish detective novels I've read recently (this is where I mentionBoystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteriesfor the 457th time - am I being too subtle? - READ IT), but Thornton shows a talent for a lightly romantic comedy that I wasn't expecting from the author of the previously mentioned series."Ghost," with its rapid fire dialogue reminds me of a romantic comedy from the 40s. For instance, Cal is a struggling actor best known for his starring role in "Lust/Anger/Joy," an erotic underground hit. He frequently attracts men who want to reenact their favorite scenes with him, especially one where he's, quite literally, biting a pillow:"I stared at the pillow for a moment, then said to Todd, `This doesn't feel like it's about me.'He looked confused. `Does it need to be?'`Yeah, it does.' I said, handing back the pillow. `When you hit forty you'll understand.'`I thought you said you were thirty-seven.'I was never good at math.'"Also great is Cal's conversation with his agent's (Shirl) assistant:"'So, Denise, how do I get Shirl interested in my show?'`I don't think you can.'`But it's about movie stars and sex. Everybody loves movie stars and sex.'`Not if they're dead. Shirl hates dead people.'`But...it's historical.'`History is nothing but dead people. History doesn't sell.'"I definitely get the idea that such conversations come from Thornton's life as a writer (of fiction & screenplays). It also sounds just so enjoyably Hollywood.I liked the slow building romance between Cal & the lawyer Dewey. Their first scenes together were awkward in a way that you don't see too often in romance novels. Usually it's the "cute" awkward, like babbling about how many times you've seen "Twilight." I love that kind of awkward but Thornton does a more realistic, but still humorous, awkwardness. Cal & Dewey frequently seem to be talking at cross purposes, annoying & almost offending each other. In this scene Dewey makes the mistake of thinking Cal's straight."'Oh, well, totally misread that. I had you all married to some little blonde who liked to cook Paula Deen recipes and...you know [...] I suppose you can take that as a compliment,' [Dewey] said.`[...] Why would I take that as a compliment?'`I mean, a lot of guys would, do. Haven't you ever dated online....'No fats or femmes. Please be straight-acting.'`I find that kind of thing offensive.' [....]`Okay. So...do you have a boyfriend?'`Yes. He's a little blond who likes to cook Paula Deen recipes.'This scene is so funny & uncomfortable that it reminds me of about 384 conversations I've had with members of the opposite sex.I cannot write this review without mentioning Mac, Cal's famous ex and the ghost of the title. While reading I thought what Mac needed was a good ghostbusting (my suggestion is Victor from the "PsyCop" series) & a therapist. But Mac is beyond the help of any therapist. He's funny, pompous & an ego maniac who's convinced of his own genius and his irreplaceability in Cal's life. My favorite scene with him is when he dumps Cal fifteen years before the novel begins."'...[Y]ou can't do that.'`Why can't I do that?' He asked. [Mac's] voice was annoying reasonable.`Because...we're in love.'`Yeah,' he said, frowning a little. `That's the thing. I'm not in love with you anymore.'[....]`So you just fell out of love with me. Like you fall out of a tree?'`That's funny. I may steal that.'"The only fault I found in this novel is the first person POVs switching each chapter between Cal & Dewey. I loved getting both their perspectives, but I found it a little jarring. It took me a few seconds to realize who was doing the narrating and that brought me out of the novel. I like it best when authors title (is that the right word?) each chapter with the narrator's name. (Though I did love the way Thornton titled his chapters: "Group Sex for Beginners" & "Back from the Dead, Again.")This is delightful novel from a fantastic writer. I highly recommend it as a refresher course between angst-ridden novels. (Such as the series I mentioned above, but won't again for fear of being thought super, super annoying.)